UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE EXPRESSING THE KAMI (DEITIES): A STUDY OF WASHINOMIYA SAIBARA KAGURA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY By TAKUYA SAKURAI Norman, Oklahoma 2010 EXPRESSING THE KAMI (DEITIES): A STUDY OF WASHINOMIYA SAIBARA KAGURA A DISSERTATION APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION BY ___________________________________ Dr. Eric Mark Kramer, Chair ___________________________________ Dr. Todd L. Sandel ___________________________________ Dr. Patrick Meirick ___________________________________ Dr. Elaine Hsieh ___________________________________ Dr. Stephen P. Weldon © Copyright by TAKUYA SAKURAI 2010 All Rights Reserved. Acknowledgments A number of people have helped me throughout the research and writing of this dissertation. First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my chair, Dr. Eric Mark Kramer, who initiated me into this academic path and supported me throughout my years at the University of Oklahoma. Now I just realized how lucky I am to work with him. I extend my further gratitude to each of my committee members: Dr. Todd L. Sandel, Dr. Patrick Meirick, Dr. Elaine Hsieh, and Dr. Stephen P. Weldon. Their valuable comments and criticisms have played significant roles in completing this dissertation. I also thank Dr. Ann Hamilton for her careful reading and professional editing of my draft. With her “magic,” my dissertation has become much more readable. A special acknowledgment is due to all the members of the Washinomiya Saibara Kagura Preservation Association. Without their support, this work would not have been possible. Last but not least, my thanks go to my parents, Yasushi and Mitsu Sakurai, for their unyielding supports and encouragements. This dissertation is dedicated to them. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv Table of Contents .................................................................................................................v List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................. viii Abstract ................................................................................................................................x Chapter 1 Introduction: The Scope and Outlook of the Study .............................................................1 Purposes of the Study.....................................................................................................9 Rationale of the Study ..................................................................................................12 Washinomiya Saibara Kagura......................................................................................15 Fieldwork .....................................................................................................................19 Outline of the Study .....................................................................................................26 Chapter 2 Expressing the Kami: Theoretical and Methodological Foundations ................................29 The Kami, Kagura, and Expression: A Review of the Literature ...............................30 Background of Japanese Religion, Kami, and Kagura ..........................................30 Kagura as Mythological Stories ............................................................................36 Kagura as Folk Performing Arts............................................................................39 The Kagura: A Review of the Literature ...............................................................43 The Kami as a Shard Lingusitic Community: A Phenomenological Approach ..........48 Functional Structuralism ........................................................................................49 Austin's Speech Act Conditions .............................................................................52 Derrida's Critique of Austin's Speech Act and Husserl's "Direct Experience" ......55 Sumary and Research Question One......................................................................60 Concretizing the Kagura: A Gebserian Approach .......................................................61 Magic, Religion, and Science: Locating Gebser's Conscious-Muation Theory ....62 The Structures of Consciousness and their Forms of Expression ..........................68 Aperspectival Mode of Awareness: Its Foundations .............................................75 Systasis ...................................................................................................................78 Concretizing Time .................................................................................................81 The Ever-Present Origin and Research Question Two ..........................................83 Method: Interpreting the Kagura with Gebser.......................................................85 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................87 Chapter 3 Washinomiya Saibara Kagura: A Descriptive Overview ..................................................89 Washinomiya Saibara Kagura: Its Background ...........................................................90 Washinomiya Shrine and Washinomiya Saibara Kagura ......................................90 Matsuri at the Shrine ..............................................................................................94 Kagura Setting: Stage, Costume, and Sacred Props ....................................................97 Kaguraden: The Stage for Kagura ........................................................................97 Characteristics of the Kagura Performance .........................................................103 v Performers ............................................................................................................105 The Kagura Performance .....................................................................................106 Costume and Masks .............................................................................................108 Basic Movements .................................................................................................110 The Torimono: (The Sacred Props)......................................................................112 Kagura Musical Instruments................................................................................116 Twelve Performances.................................................................................................119 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................135 Chapter 4 The Conditions of Expressing the Kami: An Ethnography .............................................136 A History of the Washinomiya Saibara Kagura Preservation Association ................137 Kagura Performers (Kagurashi) Today .....................................................................143 Description of Practice ...............................................................................................147 What is a Good Kagura?............................................................................................152 Teaching and Learning Constitute One Form of Communication.............................154 What Are the Kami Like?: An Insight into the Kami ................................................157 Male/Female Deities: Dichotomy Is a Type of Insight into the Kami ......................160 Harmony: Dance with Partners ..................................................................................162 Numbering Steps: Communication Is Not Spatio-Temporally Bound ......................164 The Washinomiya Saibara Kagura Group .................................................................167 Chapter Summary ......................................................................................................168 Chapter 5 Concretization of the Kagura: A Systasic Analysis of the Ukihashi Mai .......................170 The Ukihashi (Floating Bridge Heaven): An Overview ............................................171 Structure of the Ukihashi Mai ..............................................................................172 A Systasic Analysis of the Kagura: An Attempt to Concretize its Temporalities.....177 What Systasic Analysis Reveals ..........................................................................177 Multidimensional Forms of Expressing the Kami ...............................................179 Multidimensional Temporality: Atemporality .....................................................190 Performers, Audience, and the Kami: Acategorical and Atemporal Kagura ......196 The Ever-Present Origin ......................................................................................198 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................199 Chapter 6 Conclusion: The Concretization of Expressing the Kami ................................................201 APPENDIX A: The Hajiichiryu Saibara Kagura Uta Jutsuruku ...................................209 APPENDIX B: The Music Acore for Kagura Music .......................................................211