Hunter's Moon Odori this Weekend!

What: Hunter's Moon Odori

When: Sunday, October 12th at Noon SLT

Where: Sengoku Teahouse

This Sunday, the Shinmachi School will host a moon odori to celebrate the Hunter's Moon (visible tonight!) and the shinto moon god known as Tsukuyomi.We last performed this dance during our Moon Viewing festival in September of last year, and we've decided to make this dance an annual tradition. With this new tradition, we can be reminded each year of the relation traditional courtesans, geisha and actors have to the moon's guidance and protection.

The Moon Odori is a performance in five parts, matching with five phases of the moon: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous and the full moon.  It begins with our ode to the new moon, shingetsu, the beginning of the month according to the old Japanese calendar. The moon is beginning its journey around the earth and we are given pause to reflect on what the new month will hold.

By the light of the waxing crescent, we are able to see the first glimpses of an oiran and a geisha in all her beauty. Under the first quarter and reveling in half of the moon’s light, the youngest performers of the Shinmachi District will come out to play. With nearly full illumination from the waxing gibbous, the younger ones rest, and the apprentices (the shinzo and maiko) will take the center stage, hoping that the moon's light will lead their lost love to them. Finally, our performance concludes with a celebration of Tsukiyomi and the magnificence of the full moon.

We hope you can join us for this performance, featuring amazing music, and traditional dance and costumes of Japanese courtesans, geisha and their apprentices.

- Aisya