Information for the Kasukabe Shishimai performance at Choshi guchi Katori shrine annually in January, July and October
Choshiguchi Shishimai
Choshiguchi shishimai (lion dance) was brought to Kasukabe from the current Koshigaya city in 1697. It is a lion dance to music with three single “lions” performed at Choshiguchi Katori shrine in Kasukabe. Three individual lions at a shishimai performance is not that common in Saitama, which is one of the draws of this particular shishimai. It is a tangible folk cultural property of Kasukabe City. You can see shishimai three times during the year at the Choshiguchi katori shrine, including this New Year performance held in January. The other two dates are in July and October.
2026 Information
Event: Choshiguchi Shishimai Performance 銚子口の獅子舞
Date: Sunday January 18th 2026, Sunday July 19th 2026, Sunday October 18th 2026.
Time: from 2 pm to about 3.30 pm
Cost: free, but it is customary to throw some money into the prayer box
Venue: Choshiguchi Katori Shrine 銚子口香取神社, 551 Choshiguchi, Kasukabe, Saitama 344-0013. View on Google Maps.
There is no official website, just a page on Saitama’s shrine directory.
Choshiguchi Shishimai was temporarily off the blog during the pandemic. The last time it appeared on the blog was for the 2020 performance on January 19th 2020. Republished January 5th 2023. Last update: January 3rd 2025.