【狭野神楽】
  狭野神楽は、宮崎と鹿児島の県境、霧島山の麓に位置する狭野地区で行われており、地元では「神舞（かんめ）」または「神事（かんごつ）」と呼ばれている。
  霧島山にある高千穂峰には天孫降臨神話が伝わり、頂上に邇邇芸命（ににぎのみこと）が立てたとされる「天の逆鋒（さかほこ）」が立つ。日本書紀より、古くは高千穂峰と御鉢（おはち）を合わせて二上峰（ふたがみのみね）とも云われていた。狭野神社は、第５代孝昭（こうしょう）天皇の御代に、御幼名を狭野尊（さののみこと）と称する初代天皇、神武天皇ご誕生の地に創建されたのがはじまりと伝えられる。狭野神楽は、狭野神社の年中行事の一つである。樹齢４００年以上といわれる境内の狭野杉は大正１３年（１９２４）に国の天然記念物に指定されている。
  夜神楽は１２月の第１土曜日から翌日日曜日の早朝にかけ、狭野神社第二鳥居にて奉納される。歴史の長さがうかがえる伝来品の多さが特徴であり、江戸時代を通して寄進された採り物や、更に前の時代から用いられていたと思われる古い面も多数残されており、江戸時代初頭には既に神楽を実施出来るだけの組織が成立していたと考えられる。
  旧薩摩藩神舞の特色である、巨大な大宝（たいほう）の注連（しめ）を背後に建て、屋外に注連縄で区切られた規模の大きな舞庭を設える。運営は地域主導、舞は保存会を中心に担われている。
  三十三番中３分の１の番付が刀を採り物としており、修験者（しゅげんじゃ）によってもたらされたと云われる神楽はその難易度も高く、地元では「武士の神舞」の認識が強い。

【Sano Kagura】
Sano Kagura, also called “kanme” or “Kangotsu” in this region, is celebrated in Sano District located at the foot of the Kirishima Mountain Ranges on the Kagoshima -Miyazaki border.
A pike named “Amanosakahoko” stands at the peak of Mt. Takachiho-no-mine. Legend says that the peak is where deity Niniginomikoto descended from the heaven and erected the pike. Mt. Takachiho-no-mine and Ohachi were collectively called Futagami-no-mine, according to Japan’s oldest historical record “Nihon-Shoki,”.
Sano Shrine is said to have been founded during the reign of Kosho, the fifth emperor of Japan, at the birthplace of Japan’s first emperor Jinmu, whose childhood name was Sano-no-mikoto. Sano Kagura is one of the annual events held at Sano Shrine.
The “Sano-sugui” cedar tree in the shrine precinct is said to be more than 400 years old. It was designated as a natural monument by the Japanese government in 1924.
The night kagura is held on the first Saturday and Sunday’s morning in December at the second torii gate of the shrine.
It is characterized by many historical objects, including hand-held items that were donated for kagura performances during the Edo period and numerous masks that were used for ages, which leads to a hypothesis that there was a systematized body devoted to organizing the kagura event as early as the early Edo period.
The large stage is set up in a traditional kanme style, decorated with stretched sacred ropes and placed huge “Taihono-shime” poles behind, that are reminiscent of the former Satsuma Domain. The night kagura is hosted by the community, and most of the performances are played by members of the Preservation Association.
1/3 of the 33 programs are sword dances recorded in 18th-century documents. Known for their high level of difficulty, they are said to have been introduced by buddhist ascetics and perceived as a samurai’s performance by the local community.