著者

平島 朱美

出版者

法政大学大学院 国際日本学インスティテュート専攻委員会

雑誌

国際日本学論叢 = 国際日本学論叢 (ISSN:13491954)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.13, pp.92-121, 2016-03-07

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Shishimai is a traditional performing art employing a lion mask. It is explained as a lion dance because shishi means lion and mai means dancing. Shishimai is one of the biggest and the most enjoyable events inJapanese communities. The performers try to make contact with the supernatural world through dancing rhythmically with the mask on. Most shishimai in Japan are performed at Shinto festivals or on the New Year by people in the community and transmitted among them from elders to younger people, while those in some Asian societies are performed at the opening ceremony of a company or on the Lunar New Year by professional groups and transmitted from master to pupil there. Shishimai in Japanese communities are a religious symbol for thepeople there. Shishimai give them hope, satisfaction, power to live, identity and good relationship in a community not only in case of peace but also in case of emergency. Shishimai show people’s decision to form asense of identity and maintain their community.