The Calendar of 
MapJapan Heritage Kami Town's Kirin Dance-Hyogo Prefecture-
Nestled in the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture is a little place called Yoroi, part of the Kasumi District in Kami Town.
This fishing community, home to 50 families, has carried on the tradition of the Kirin Dance since it was first performed there in 1912, to celebrate the completion of the local Amarube Viaduct railway bridge.
Mr. Masanobu Fujiwara, the head of the association, has said proudly of the local culture: "Since it's a Japan heritage, many people have come to see the dance, and I'm happy to see the communication it has fostered."
The Kirin Dance of Tajima
The Yoroi Kirin Dance Preservation Association
Junisha Shrine holds its festival on October 5th, and the Kirin Dance is performed by two people. After a five minute performance at the shrine, they then spend the afternoon going around to all the homes. The unique features of the dance here include the Kirin itself having an intense, black-colored face, and the shojo — an alcohol-loving, red sea spirit that often accompanies such performances — being modeled after a demon instead of a monkey. The dance has been designated as an intangible cultural property of the town.
Mr. Minoru Fujiwara, another member of the association, has said that the Kirin Dance used to be performed by the local youth group, but now it has been entrusted to the preservation association. They first started to perform the Kirin dance officially 30 years ago, before which it was just part of a parade going from the shrine to the fishing harbor. Now, the dance is mainly carried out by the association's 15 members.
The head of the organization has said that in the past, they used to visit 65 homes during the dance, now down to 50. The number of young people is shrinking, but they will continue to pass down the tradition they've inherited.
