Sagamihara has developed rapidly since the end of World War II to become one of Japan's leading cities, achieving designated city status by government ordinance in 2010. The city expects to grow further with the construction of a station for the Chuo Shinkansen (Maglev Line) planned in Hashimoto, among other future developments. At the same time, the city also preserves many traditional customs that have been passed down for ages from generation to generation. Sagamihara's appeal may lie in the fact that the community is able to deepen relationships across generations through its events and other activities.
Here is a glimpse of the traditional performing arts and culture Sagamihara has to offer.
The custom of flying the Giant Kites of Sagami has been listed as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sagamihara. Every year in May, a traditional event called the Sagami Giant Kite Festival is held. The Sagami Giant Kite Preservation Association carries on this tradition. Among the kites flown, the hachiken kite belonging to the Shindo district is the largest kite flown annually in Japan, measuring in at 14.5 square meters and about 950 kilograms.
In the Shiroyama district, the entire community, including children and the elderly, performs a type of festival music known as ohayashi. There are ten ohayashi groups in the district that play an important role in bridging all generations of the community. At the Shiroyama Summer Festival held annually in August, festival floats gather together under the summer night sky to put on a festival ohayashi music competition with bamboo flutes, kane (dish-shaped bell), drums, and shouting voices. The grand spectacle is a major highlight for residents of the district.
In the former town of Fujino, located in the northernmost part of Sagamihara, a style of folk kabuki (a type of Japanese theater) was performed up until the middle of World War II. After the war, it fell off in popularity and disappeared in 1965. However, momentum for its revival grew, and in 1992, it was revived and is now regularly performed by the Fujino Kabuki Hozonkai (Fujino Kabuki Preservation Society). It is now so popular that there are times when the number of people who wish to attend exceeds the maximum capacity. It has also been listed as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sagamihara.
The Jindai Kagura (a kind of folk music and dance ritual performed to entertain Shinto deities) of Banda is a traditional performing art that has been passed down for over 200 years from generation to generation by the Kameyama family in the Banda neighborhood of the Kamimizo district. It has become a beloved tradition enjoyed during the shrine's annual festival. The kagura performances depict Japanese myths from the Kojiki (“Record of Ancient Matters”) and Nihon Shoki (“The Chronicles of Japan”), and most do not contain any dialogue. A fascinating aspect of these performances is how the dancers use gestures and movements to express the demeanors and emotions of the characters they play. As the show progresses, the performers explain what is happening in each scene, as well as each character's dialogue and emotions, so that even those new to kagura can enjoy the performance. It has also been listed as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sagamihara.
The style of lion dance that is passed down differs from district to district. For example, the lion dance passed down at Mitake Shrine in Shimo-Kuzawa, Midori-ku, is performed with each performer wearing their own lion head. One team consists of three people (three lions), so it is sometimes described as a “lion dance with three upright one-person lions.” The lions dance to the rhythm of a singer and bamboo flute. Their hakama (skirt-like trousers) feature twisting spiral patterns and are quite striking. It has also been listed as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sagamihara.
Matomachi is a ritual in which the year's harvest is predicted based on the number of arrows that hit a target. It has been listed as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Sagamihara. The ritual is held on January 6 every year in the precincts of the Tana Hachimangu Shrine. Boys between the ages of two and five years old are chosen to be the archers. On the day of the ritual, the Shinto priest decides the order of the archers by drawing lots before passing out the bows and arrows. After praying at the shrine, the archers shoot a total of 12 arrows at the target.