Japanese drama, played outside in the middle of summer season. (Nou play / 能, Matsumoto castle / 松本城) vol.1

As its getting busy, I couldn't get time for writing blogs in this few weeks.
I've got stocks of pictures, so I will introduce them when I found time.

Today, I will upload some pictures of "Nou" which played at the square in front of  Matsumoto castle.

This act was held at beginning of August.
It started about 17:30, when the sunset was starting.

To be exact, the Nou play this day was called "Takigi-Nou".
Takigi means wood fire. When the night came, the fire will put on the woods, and acts will proceed in their lights.

Before the act starts, the priest prays gods and tell that the acts starting is present for them.

The first act's title is "Maki-Ginu, Kagura-dome".
"Maki-Ginu" means "Silk cloth" and "Kagura" means music and dances for god.
I couldn't know the exact meaning for "dome", but I think it means like "stop" or "keep something not to move".

The story starts from an emperor saw a dream that a god tells him to bring high quality clothes to the shrine. In the morning, the emperor told servants to prepare the silk clothes.

An Imperial messenger had to come back as soon as possible, but he enticed to smell of Japanese plum and stopped at other shrine and wrote a poem there.

When he arrived to the emperor, he was mad for messenger's late coming.

The messenger was tied and arrested.

When he got arrested, a priestess came.
The priestess was possessed by a fairy from the shrine which had apricot.

She begged the emperor to let the messenger free, telling she is also a god and messenger was praying to her.

 The emperor didn't believe her words at first, but when the messenger and priestess read same poem, the emperor believed them and forgave messenger.

To express appreciation, priestess started to dance.

When the end comes near, the dance become faster.

Suddenly, the dance ends, and priestess become back to human, and story ends.

The fairy was so beautiful in the sunset at last.
I wish that you can feel her beauty just a little from my pictures.

Thanks for reading!!
I will introduce other act next time.

Good night!

松本城, 薪能, 夏, 8月