【河内神楽】
  河内地区は熊本・大分の県境に位置し、江戸時代は延岡藩の出先役所として番所が設けられ、自由物交換の拠点として移住者が増え、宿場町としても栄えた地区である。街中には当時の往還を偲ぶ家並みが残され、昭和２年に建築された旧田原（たばる）村役場は、平成２６年１２月１９日に国の登録有形文化財になっている。 旧河内村の総鎮守「熊野鳴瀧（くまのなるたき）神社」は、鎌倉初頭の地頭職・高千穂政綱が熊野権現を勧請した神社で、上宮（じょうぐう）の「鳴瀧の宮」は牛神様としての信仰が厚く、戦前は西臼杵郡内をはじめ、大分・熊本県からも牛馬の安全と繁栄祈願のため、多くの参拝者が訪れ、鳴瀧の水を汲み与えたという。河内神楽の「彫り物（えりもの）」には、今も中央鳥居の横に牛神が特別に祀られている。
  「熊野鳴瀧神社」の夜神楽は、年ごとの順番で自治公民館が運営している。
  河内神楽は、河内・田原（たばる）・上野（かみの）系統の神楽であるが、熊本県旧蘇陽村の二瀬本神楽との交流記録もあり、近隣県境の神楽の影響も受けているともいわれる。

【kawachi-Kagura】
The Kawachi District is located on the boundary between Kumamoto and Oita prefectures. During the Edo period, a guard station was built to serve as a branch office of Nobeoka Domain. The village was known as a post town among migrants seeking for free trade. On December 19, 2014, the office of former Tabaru village was designated as a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Constructed in 1927, the office stands among the line of houses that reminds of the hustle and bustle of the past.
Kumano-Narutaki Jinja enshrines Masatsune Takachiho, a land administrator in the early Kamakura period. It was the main shrine of former Kawachi Village. Narutakino-miya, placed as interior shrine on mountain top, is worshipped as a deity for cattle and horses. During pre-war many visitors came from the Nishiusuki District as well as Oita and Kumamoto Prefectures to pray for prosperity and safety of their cattle and horses and pumped water from Narutaki to give to them. In the erimono (paper decorations) that are used to decorate the stage for Kawachi-kagura, patterns of the deity for cattle and horses can be seen next to the torii gate. Night kagura at Kumano-Narutaki Jinja is managed by the community center in yearly rotation.
Although Kawachi-kagura belongs to the line of Kawachi・Tabaru・Kamino kagura, it is said to have been influenced by the kagura of neighboring prefectures; a record explains on exchanges with Nisemoto-kagura at former Soyo Village in Kumamoto prefecture.