Kagura is a specific type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The phrase is a contraction of "kami no kura ", indicating the presence of god in the practice. One major function of Kagura is "Chinkon .", involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perform the dance and obtain the oracle from the god----in the setting, the dancer herself turns into god during the performance. Once strictly a ceremonial art derived from kami'gakari , kagura has evolved in many directions over the span of more than a millennium. Today, it is very much a living tradition, with rituals tied to the rhythms of the agricultural calendar, thriving primarily in parts of Shimane prefecture, and urban centers such as Hiroshima.
