Nara City Tourism Association

This ancient shrine is devoted to Prince Shiki, the father of Emperor Konin and renowned as a Man'yo poet, his brother, Prince Kasuga, and Narazuhiko, the guardian deity of the land. On the night of October 8 every year, the Okinamai dance is performed as a dedication on the eve of the autumn festival, at the haiden (worship hall) in front of the vermilion-colored honden (main hall). This dance has a long history, said to have begun when the two princes dedicated a dance to pray for Prince Kasuga's recovery from illness, and is considered the origin of Nohgaku. The Okinamai dance at Narazuhiko-jinja Shrine has preserved its ancient form, and is characterized by features such as three Okina performers side by side. It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 2000.

At around 8:00 p.m. on the eve of the festival, performers dressed in Noh masks and costumes gather in the haiden and begin to dance to music played by flutes and small drums. The performance lasts for about an hour, comprising of the Senzai dance performed by children to celebrate longevity, Tayu dance to pray for world peace, the three-person Okina dance, and the Sanbaso dance in which Senzai and Sanbaso exchange questions without looking at each other face-to-face. The haiden, illuminated by the lights of hanging lanterns, is enveloped in a magical and solemn atmosphere. This Okinamai performance continues to be cherished and passed down among the locals even today.

There is a giant camphor tree behind the honden, standing at about 30 m tall. It is over 1,000 years old and designated a natural monument of the prefecture. Its branches are spread out as if it were protecting the land of Narazaka, from the past and into the present.