Treasure Box Japan

Based on Japanese mythology, Iwami Kagura dances feature lively music, gorgeous costumes and expressive masks. A dedicated artisan, making costumes for over 60 years, helps keep it alive.

At Miho Shrine in Mihonoseki, myths live on. A Shinto ritual featuring two long oared boats, also known as the splashing festival, is held there on December 3 each year.

In June, the hydrangeas bloom at Gesshoji Temple. A grave site for feudal lords since the 17th century, it's a national historic site, a place to hear the echoes of history.

Nisa Shrine has long been home to the Shinto gods. Each year on January 6, a ritual enacting the process of planting and harvesting of rice is held to pray for a bountiful harvest.