神楽

See also: 神樂

Japanese

Etymology 1

神楽 (kagura): a performance of 八王子の舞 (Hachiōji no Mai) at Tokuyama Shrine.

Kanji in this term
神	楽
かむ > か Grade: 3	くら > ぐら Grade: 2
irregular	jukujikun

Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

/kamu kura/ → /kankura/ → /kaŋɡura/ → /kaɡura/

From Old Japanese.

Originally a compound of 神 (kamu, “spirit, god”, combining form) +‎ 座 (kura, “seat”). The kura changes to gura as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

The original compound referred to the place used to call down the 神 (kami, “spirits and gods”) to earth, when a 巫女 (miko, “shrine maiden”) would act as a medium for the kami. Over time, the term came to refer to the music and dance of the ceremony. The use of the 楽 character here is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓), reflecting the change in meaning.

Noun

1. (Shinto) sacred dancing and music performed at Shintō ceremonies, often by miko, to honor Shintō spirits and gods

   Synonym: 神遊び (kamiasobi)

2. bugaku (a type of traditional dancing and music) performed by regular people in front of a Shintō shrine

   Synonyms: 里神楽 (sato kagura), 太太神楽 (daidai kagura)

3. a type of Noh dancing and music
4. a type of kabuki musical accompaniment
5. Short for 御神楽 (o-kagura): a flat-topped house initially built with one storey, with additional storeys added later

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 神楽(かぐら)歌(うた) (kagura uta, “kagura song”)
• 神楽(かぐら)諷(うた)雲(くも)井(いの)曲(きょく)毬(まり) (Kagura Uta Kumoi no Kyokumari): the title of a kabuki play, roughly "Kagura Uta: Juggling to Entertain the Gods"
• 神楽(かぐら)男(お) (kagurao), 神楽(かぐら)男(おとこ) (kagura otoko, “man who performs kagura”)
• 神楽(かぐら)岡(おか) (Kagura Oka): Kagura Hill, a place in Kyōto, also known as Yamada Yama (Yamada Mountain) and site of Yamada Jinja (Yamada Shrine)
• 神楽(かぐら)月(づき) (kagurazuki): alternate name for the eleventh lunar month
• 神楽(かぐら)坂(ざか) (Kagurazaka): a place in the east of Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
• 神楽(かぐら)笹(ざさ) (kagurazasa): alternate for 阿亀笹 (okamezasa, “Shibataea kumasaca, a type of short leafy bamboo”), or for 唐竹蘭 (tōchikuran, “a type of orchid, probably the Yunnanese spring orchid, Cymbidium goeringii subsp. goeringii var. forrestii”)
• 神楽(かぐら)桟(ざめ), 神楽(かぐら)鮫(ざめ) (kagurazame): the bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus
• 神楽(かぐら)山(さん) (kagurasan): alternate name for a 轆轤 (rokuro, “windlass”)
• 神楽(かぐら)師(し) (kagurashi, “professional kagura performer”)
• 神楽(かぐら)獅子(じし) (kagura-jishi): a lion dance performed as kagura; a pleasure quarter or red-light district euphemism for hairiness
• 神楽(かぐら)舎(しゃ) (kagurasha): the roofed stage at a shrine or imperial palace for performing kagura
• 神楽(かぐら)少女(おとめ) (kagura otome): alternate for 神楽巫女: a woman, generally unmarried, who performs kagura
• 神楽(かぐら)女(め) (kagurame): alternate for 神楽巫女: a woman, generally unmarried, who performs kagura
• 神楽(かぐら)巫女(みこ), 神楽(かぐら)神子(みこ) (kagura miko): a woman, generally unmarried, who performs kagura
• 神楽(かぐら)銭(せん) (kagurasen, “money received in thanks for a kagura performance”)
• 神楽(カグラ)草(ソウ) (kagurasō): alternate name for 狐の孫 (kitsune no mago, “Justicia procumbens, also known as water willow”)
• 神楽(かぐら)太鼓(だいこ) (kagura-daiko, “large taiko drum used in kagura performances”)
• 神楽(かぐら)笛(ぶえ) (kagurabue, “flute used in kagura performances”)
• 神楽(かぐら)殿(でん) (kaguraden, “building used for kagura performances”)
• 神楽(かぐら)堂(どう) (kaguradō, “building used for kagura performances”)
• 神楽(かぐら)姫(びめ) (kagura-bime): alternate for 神楽巫女: a woman, generally unmarried, who performs kagura
• 神楽(かぐら)面(おもて) (kagura omote, “kagura performer”)
• 神楽(かぐら)面(めん) (kagura men, “kagura mask”)
• 神楽(かぐら)鈴(すず) (kagura suzu, “bell used for kagura performances”)
• 神楽(かぐら)和琴(わごん)秘譜(ひふ) (Kagura Wagon Hifu): the title of a piece of kagura music

Proper noun

1. a place name
2. a surname
3. a female given name

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
神	楽
かみ Grade: 3	がく Grade: 2
yutōyomi

Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 神 (kami, “spirit, god”) +‎ 楽 (gaku, “music”).

Noun

1. (rare) a type of dance in a Noh play, performed by the leading 翁 (okina, “old man”) character

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
神	楽
じん Grade: 3	らく Grade: 2
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

Probably from Middle Chinese 神樂 (MC zyin lak, literally “god, spirit + happy”).

Proper noun

1. a place name
2. a surname

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
神	楽
かむ > か Grade: 3	らき Grade: 2
irregular

Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

Unknown.

Proper noun

1. a surname