Animated Pictograms

Fun and easy-to-understand presentation of historical culture and traditional customs that are uniquely Japanese.

  • VISIT TO TEMPLE / SHIRINE
  • BOWING
  • POUNDING RICE CAKE
  • HAILING A CAB / TAXI
  • TAKING A BATH
  • WATER ABLUTION
  • TEA CEREMONY
  • RHYTHMIC CLAPPING AT CELEBRATIONS
  • RIDING THE TRAIN
  • WINNING MOVES IN SUMŌ
  • AWA DANCE FESTIVAL
  • Coming Soon

About The Project

EXPERIENCE JAPAN PICTOGRAMS were developed to provide visual support for tourists in Japan.
For more information about the objectives and design concept of the project, please click here.

Request

If you would like us to create new PICTOGRAMS for you or have other requests, please contact us here.

DAIKAGURA

太神楽[DAIKAGURA]

Daikagura is a lineup of dance and other eye-catching numbers, such as shishimai lion dances, shinadama*1, kyokumari*2 , and plate spinning. Originally, daikagura was performed by the Shinto priests of Ise Jingu and Atsuta Jingu shrines who traveled around to offer sacred lion dances to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. Gradually, entertaining elements came to the fore and gained popularity as yose-gei (vaudeville shows) by the end of the Edo period. Until recently, on New Year’s day, typical Japanese households used to watch on TV the famous brother duo Somenosuke and Sometaro Ebiichi spinning a ball and other colorful objects on a traditional Japanese umbrella while calling out festively “Omedeto Gozaimasu! (Happy New Year!)” Sadly, both masters are now gone. Japanese New Year has not been the same without them.
*1 Shinadama: juggling of balls, knives, etc.
*2 Kyokumari: ball acrobatics