Matsnō

松尾 Matsu-no-o Shrine

1 Source and/or Related Material

Unknown

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Hōshō

4 Synopsis

A courtier (waki) and his subordinates (wakitsure) visit the Matsuo Shrine (Kyoto) on behalf of the Emperor. There, they meet an old man (maeshite) and a young man (maetsure). The old man tells them a tale about Matsuo Shrine and its divine power. He tells them that a nighttime ceremony with kagura music will be held tonight and that they should participate, then he disappears. A villager (ai) tells the story of the God of Matsuo in plain speech, and then the God himself (nochishite) appears, leads the nighttime kagura, and performs a dance to celebrate the Emperor’s reign.