This year’s Mizudome-no-Mai will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2025.
The starting point will be at the intersection in front of Omori Daiichi Elementary School in Ota City.
This traditional performing art has a history of about 700 years and is even included in the local elementary school curriculum. We hope you will come and enjoy it with your family and friends.
The origin of Mizudome-no-Mai dates back to 1321 (Genko 1). At that time, the Musashi region (around today’s Kanto area) suffered a severe drought. The second head priest, Homitsu Shonin, made a dragon figure out of straw and prayed for rain, which was successful.
However, two years later, continuous heavy rain caused damage to the fields. Some people blamed the previous rain ritual, so the priest made three lion masks named “Shishi” (meaning “Mizudome”) and had the farmers wear them and dance while beating drums and blowing conch shells to pray for the rain to stop.
When the rain finally stopped, people continued this dance to show their gratitude — and that is how Mizudome-no-Mai began.
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