Urespa Mosir

Tonoto soropa (sake straining song)

The sake that is an essential part of many rituals is traditionally made by women using grains such as rice, Japanese barnyard millet or foxtail millet, together with koji mold. While straining the sake, people gather around the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) to enjoy singing and dancing.

Sintoko sanke (sake barrel opening)

Two people sitting facing each other on either side of the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) have the important role of watching over the sake. They open the sintoko lid and draw out sake from within to mark the start of the ritual.

Kamuynomi (ritual)

Elements that contribute to people’s lives or possess power beyond that of humans, including animals, plants, natural phenomena, diseases and tools, have been treated as spirit deities. Rituals are held to pray to these deities in order to ensure villages’ safety, express gratitude in various everyday situations or to send messages.

Tapkar (dance)

In this dance performed at the start of a banquet, men exhibit powerful movements and calls using the throat muscles to welcome important guests and the spirit deities. The way each performer uses their voice and body movements brings out their unique personality.

Upopo (seated singing)

Songs mixing falsetto and exhaling sounds, with the lid of the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) used to keep the beat.

Horippa (circle dance)

As the banquet gets into full swing, the participants stand up and dance in a circle.

Takusa rimse (purification dance)

Striking the ground or inside of a home with a takusa, a ritual staff with bamboo attached to the top, is believed to purify the space. This dance expels evil spirits at the start of a ritual or festival.

Uekap (greeting dance)

A dance in which people who have not met for some time hold hands and express joy at finding each other in good health.

Cironnup rimse (fox dance)

This dance tells the tale of a fox too busy playing and admiring its own tail to notice a hunter. When the fox is struck with an arrow, the hunter shows it due reverence, then receives its fur and meat.

Ku rimse (bow and arrow dance)

A dance telling the story of a hunter who finds a bird in the hills, but hesitates to shoot because of its beauty, ultimately missing their chance to strike. This dance dedicated to spirit deities is performed at festivals and during iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities.

Poncikap rimse (small bird dance)

One of several bird-inspired dances that have been passed down in various regions of Hokkaido. Dancers imitate small birds gathering together, mimicking each other’s movements as they do so.

Mukkuri (mouth harp) Tonkori (zither)

Mukkuri: A type of mouth harp that creates sound with a small valve that resonates in the mouth.

Tonkori: A traditional stringed instrument from the island of Sakhalin played with open strings and capable of creating various sounds.

Cikap upopo (crane dance)

One of several bird-inspired dances that have been passed down in various regions of Hokkaido. This dance expresses parental love through the representation of adult cranes showing their young how to fly, then taking to the sky as a family.

Battaki upopo (grasshopper dance)

Dancers move their hands and feet together in grasshopper-like movements in a dance made to be enjoyed by women and children.

Huttare cuy (black-hair dance)

A dance in which black-haired dancers represent pine trees bending in the wind on the night of a great storm. It is also known as “a dance of competing heart rates,” in reference to the vigorous movements.

Emus rimse (sword dance)

An iconic male dance to ward off evil spirits and disasters. Swords are believed to have spiritual power and the ability to expel malevolent forces, and this dance dedicated to spirit deities is performed during festivals and iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities.

Sikari upopo (circle dance)

Several songs are sung one after another, with the dance changing to reflect the previous song. Circle dances begin at the climax of iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities, and banquets.

Tonoto soropa (sake straining song)

The sake that is an essential part of many rituals is traditionally made by women using grains such as rice, Japanese barnyard millet or foxtail millet, together with koji mold. While straining the sake, people gather around the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) to enjoy singing and dancing.

Sintoko sanke (sake barrel opening)

Two people sitting facing each other on either side of the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) have the important role of watching over the sake. They open the sintoko lid and draw out sake from within to mark the start of the ritual.

Kamuynomi (ritual)

Elements that contribute to people’s lives or possess power beyond that of humans, including animals, plants, natural phenomena, diseases and tools, have been treated as spirit deities. Rituals are held to pray to these deities in order to ensure villages’ safety, express gratitude in various everyday situations or to send messages.

Tapkar (dance)

In this dance performed at the start of a banquet, men exhibit powerful movements and calls using the throat muscles to welcome important guests and the spirit deities. The way each performer uses their voice and body movements brings out their unique personality.

Upopo (seated singing)

Songs mixing falsetto and exhaling sounds, with the lid of the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) used to keep the beat.

Utare Opunparewa (circle dance)

As the banquet gets into full swing, the participants stand up and dance in a circle.

Takusa rimse (purification dance)

Striking the ground or inside of a home with a takusa, a ritual staff with bamboo attached to the top, is believed to purify the space. This dance expels evil spirits at the start of a ritual or festival.

Skata kuykuy (east wind dance)

A dance representing the branches of Sakhalin fir trees bending under snowfall, causing the snow to fall to the ground.

Cironnup rimse (fox dance)

This dance tells the tale of a fox too busy playing and admiring its own tail to notice a hunter. When the fox is struck with an arrow, the hunter shows it due reverence, then receives its fur and meat.

Ku rimse (bow and arrow dance)

A dance telling the story of a hunter who finds a bird in the hills, but hesitates to shoot because of its beauty, ultimately missing their chance to strike. This dance dedicated to spirit deities is performed at festivals and during iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities.

Saroruncikap rimse (crane dance)

One of several bird-inspired dances that have been passed down in various regions of Hokkaido. This dance expresses parental love through the representation of adult cranes showing their young how to fly, then taking to the sky as a family.

Mukkuri (mouth harp) Tonkori (zither)

Mukkuri: A type of mouth harp that creates sound with a small valve that resonates in the mouth.

Tonkori: A traditional stringed instrument from the island of Sakhalin played with open strings and capable of creating various sounds.

Aranpe rimse (fog-warding dance)

This dance expresses a prayer to keep fog away when crossing the hills to a neighboring village.

Battaki upopo (grasshopper dance)

Dancers move their hands and feet together in grasshopper-like movements in a dance made to be enjoyed by women and children.

Huttare cuy (black-hair dance)

A dance in which black-haired dancers represent pine trees bending in the wind on the night of a great storm. It is also known as “a dance of competing heart rates,” in reference to the vigorous movements.

Emus rimse (sword dance)

An iconic male dance to ward off evil spirits and disasters. Swords are believed to have spiritual power and the ability to expel malevolent forces, and this dance dedicated to spirit deities is performed during festivals and iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities.

Iyomante rimse (bear spirit-sending dance)

Several songs are sung one after another, with the dance changing to reflect the previous song. Circle dances begin at the climax of iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities, and banquets.

Tonoto soropa (sake straining song)

The sake that is an essential part of many rituals is traditionally made by women using grains such as rice, Japanese barnyard millet or foxtail millet, together with koji mold. While straining the sake, people gather around the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) to enjoy singing and dancing.

Sintoko sanke (sake barrel opening)

Two people sitting facing each other on either side of the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) have the important role of watching over the sake. They open the sintoko lid and draw out sake from within to mark the start of the ritual.

Kamuynomi (ritual)

Elements that contribute to people’s lives or possess power beyond that of humans, including animals, plants, natural phenomena, diseases and tools, have been treated as spirit deities. Rituals are held to pray to these deities in order to ensure villages’ safety, express gratitude in various everyday situations or to send messages.

Tapkar (dance)

In this dance performed at the start of a banquet, men exhibit powerful movements and calls using the throat muscles to welcome important guests and the spirit deities. The way each performer uses their voice and body movements brings out their unique personality.

Upopo (seated singing)

Songs mixing falsetto and exhaling sounds, with the lid of the sintoko (a covered lacquerware container) used to keep the beat.

Utare Opunparewa (circle dance)

As the banquet gets into full swing, the participants stand up and dance in a circle.

Takusa rimse (purification dance)

Striking the ground or inside of a home with a takusa, a ritual staff with bamboo attached to the top, is believed to purify the space. This dance expels evil spirits at the start of a ritual or festival.

Eri rimse (millet sowing dance)

Prayers for a plentiful and joyous harvest are expressed through a dance representing the farming process, from sowing seeds and applying topsoil to harvesting. This is also known as a millet sowing dance.

Cironnup rimse (fox dance)

A female hunter shoots a fox that underestimates her because she is a woman. This dance teaches the importance of treating women and children with respect.

Ku rimse (bow and arrow dance)

A dance telling the story of a hunter who finds a bird in the hills, but hesitates to shoot because of its beauty, ultimately missing their chance to strike. This dance dedicated to spirit deities is performed at festivals and during iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities.

Sarorunkamuy rimse(crane dance)

One of several bird-inspired dances that have been passed down in various regions of Hokkaido. This dance expresses parental love through the image of adult cranes showing their young how to fly, then taking to the sky as a family.

Mukkuri (mouth harp) Tonkori (zither)

Mukkuri: A type of mouth harp that creates sound with a small valve that resonates in the mouth.

Tonkori: A traditional stringed instrument from the island of Sakhalin played with open strings and capable of creating various sounds.

Humpe rimse (whale dance)

This dance tells the story of a crow that finds a beach whale and shares its good fortune with people, allowing them to overcome a famine.

Battaki upopo (grasshopper dance)

Dancers move their hands and feet together in grasshopper-like movements in a dance made to be enjoyed by women and children.

Huttare cuy (black-hair dance)

A dance in which black-haired dancers represent pine trees bending in the wind on the night of a great storm. It is also known as “a dance of competing heart rates,” in reference to the vigorous movements.

Emus rimse (sword dance)

An iconic male dance to ward off evil spirits and disasters. Swords are believed to have spiritual power and the ability to expel malevolent forces, and this dance dedicated to spirit deities is performed during festivals and iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities.

Poro rimse (circle dance)

Several songs are sung one after another, with the dance changing to reflect the previous song. Circle dances begin at the climax of iyomante, a ceremony in which a bear is sacrificed and sent back to the world of the spirit deities, and banquets.