Flutes and taiko drums are a perfect match for the elegant and dynamic movements of the dancers at Kawanishi Dainenbutsu Kenbai.

In 2022, it was registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Hiraizumi, in Iwate Prefecture, is famous for its World Heritage sites, including Chusonji temple.

On this day, a special event is taking place.

900 years ago, the regional leader, Fujiwara no Kiyohira

was praying for the souls of those who had died in battle -- when the Buddha appeared as a monkey.

Using sacred chanting and dancing, the monkey led the lost souls to the Pure Land.

Kiyohira instructed his retainers to recreate the scene, and Kawanishi Dainenbutsu Kenbai began.

The dance shows a monkey
leading the dead to the Pure Land.

It tells a story.

I am dressed as an ogre, but
I try to convey human emotions.

That's a distinctive feature, I think.

These days, it is becoming increasingly hard to find new people to help keep this 900-year-old tradition alive.

In the past, families were
structured differently.

They were generally larger.
It was easy to pass the tradition on.

Today, people have fewer children,
and so now it's a multi-family effort.

Through 900 years of history,
there were always successors.

Families like mine would love to
preserve the tradition ourselves.

But that won't work anymore.
It's difficult.

With the dance heritage under threat, three Iwate residents took action.

First, a local government employee who does planning and publicity for the group.

We had one young performer and
the rest were all older.

To build excitement, I could see that
we needed to recruit more dancers.

Documents and oral transmission are
vital ways to conserve tradition.

But I think the most important thing
is to enjoy enacting the tradition.

And I want young people to see that
it's cool, and really interesting.

So we set up a website, and
social media accounts.

I'm being as proactive as possible
in order to keep this tradition going.

Second, a former stylist, who uses his experience in design and publicity.

I realized that carrying on
as we were wouldn't be enough.

So I've been thinking what
we can do to attract new people.

It's important to consider that,
and to adapt accordingly.

And third, the chief brewer at a local sake maker.

He's the leader of the dancers.

I've come to see that many young
people do value the old traditions.

I want to spread the word, and
get even more people to join us.

I feel truly grateful for what these
three young men are doing.

I hope they can keep it going.
I could ask for nothing more.

Thanks to the dedication of the three young leaders, the group has recruited ten new members.

I saw the group at various festivals,
and wanted to try dancing myself.

Each dance is different.
It's really cool.

Mostly, I just wanted to dance.

For now, this ancient festival has found a way to keep going into the future.

Kawanishi Dainenbutsu Kenbai is performed at Chusonji every November.

The performers dance against a backdrop of beautiful autumn leaves.

They present three dances: Irikenbai, Okkomi, and Sannin Ikamono.

Each tells a different story.

Irikenbai shows a monkey using the power of Buddhist invocations to lead wildly restless spirits to the Pure Land.

Okkomi shows the strongest spirit fiercely resisting the power of the invocations.

A fan and bamboo stick used in the dance convey the spirit's mortification.

The monkey, a representation of Buddha, continues the rites to appease the spirit.

But the disturbed spirit unsheathes a sword, and goes on a rampage.

Finally, the invocations work.

The spirit abandons its hatred of the world, and is led to the Pure Land.

In Sannin Ikamono, the spirits have reached the entrance to the Pure Land.

But they are still not completely free of worldly attachments and anger, and once again they riot.

One highlight of this dance is when the spirits hold each other's swords and form a circle,

then take turns moving underneath the blades.

Finally, they are drawn safely into the Pure Land.

By quelling the restless spirits of those who died in war,

the performance conveys a wish for a peaceful world.

It is a message that resonates to this day.