Maitreya Dance - Miroku Dance

Japanese: 弥勒踊 - みろくおどり

Folk performing arts. A performing art associated with Maitreya faith, it involves dancing while singing Maitreya songs. It is found in coastal areas such as Okinawa, Ibaraki, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka, and is also called Kashima dance in some areas. Kashima dance is related to the faith of Kashima Shrine, and is also called Miroku dance because of the song that praises the coming of Maitreya. Kashima dance in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture, and Yatari dance in Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture are also called Miroku dance. In Okinawa, Miroku is believed to be a god who brings happiness from across the sea, and it is performed at harvest festivals and Kechigan festivals.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

民俗芸能。弥勒信仰にちなむ芸能で，弥勒歌などを歌いながら踊る。沖縄，茨城，千葉，神奈川，静岡などの海岸地方に分布し，地方によって鹿島踊ともいう。鹿島踊は鹿島神宮の信仰に関係があり，弥勒の来訪を賛美する歌から弥勒踊とも呼ばれる。千葉県館山市の鹿島踊，埼玉県春日部市の〈やったり踊〉も弥勒踊と称している。沖縄では弥勒は海の彼方から幸せを招き寄せる神と信じられ，収穫祭や結願（けちがん）の祭りなどに演じられる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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