White Heron Dance Performance

November 3, 2025 (National Holiday) Monday
1st performance: [Departing from Denpo-in Temple at 11:00 AM → Nakamise → Sensoji Temple Main Hall] Performance begins at 11:30 AM in the west plaza in front of the main hall
2nd performance: [Departing from Denpo-in Temple at 2:00 PM → Orange Street → Kaminarimon Street → Kaminarimon Gate → Nakamise → Sensoji Temple Main Hall] Performance begins at 2:40 PM in the west plaza in front of the main hall


The White Heron Dance is a revival of the "Heron Dance" that appears in the festival procession in the "Sensoji Keian Engi Emaki" (Sensoji Temple Keian Engi Emaki) from 1652 (Keian 5) by the Asakusa Tourism Federation as part of the Tokyo Centennial commemoration events in 1968.

The Sagimai ritual originated from the Gion Festival at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, and is said to have been a very popular ritual passed down for over 1,100 years, where it was dedicated to warding off evil epidemics. However, it was discontinued at some point, and then in 1369 (the 2nd year of the Keian era), Ouchi Inyo enshrined and built Yasaka Shrine in Yamaguchi, and the ritual was introduced as part of the Gion Festival in Yamaguchi. Then, in 1542 (the 11th year of the Tenbun era), Yoshimi Masayori, the lord of Tsuwano Castle in Shimane Prefecture, moved it from Yamaguchi, and today it is famous throughout the country.Sensoji Temple's "White Heron Dance" is a restoration of the Keian Engi procession for the enthronement of the deity, based on the traditional Kyoto tradition, and includes three warriors, one pole-shaker, one bait-slinger, one umbrella-wearer, one white heron, 19 musicians, guardian children, and others who dance and parade while playing the "White Heron Song."