What Is Japanese Folk Dance?

To understand Japanese folk dance, you need to look at each of the four main styles of Japanese folk dance. Those four styles include:

Kabuki is a dance that is performed for theater often by actors or actresses who are wearing elaborate face makeup.

Kabuki is translated by many to mean the art of singing and dancing.
Kabuki is often said to be elaborate or bizarre in nature. Women’s kabuki is called onna-kabuki and was banished in Japan from the theatrical stages in 1629 because it was said to be too erotic.
Following the band of females performing Kabuki, young males were hired by theatres to perform the dance which was then called wakashu-kabuki. However, this was soon banned as well because young males were subject to prostitution in the 1600s in Japan so the dance was still considered erotic.
Then, and even currently today, Kabuki is strictly performed by males in the theater who play both male and female roles.
The dance is called yaro-kabuki.
There are three well-known theatres that established themselves during the 1600s for the Kabuki style of dance and these are the same three theatres that still remain popular for such performances in Japan today. These three theatres are: The Nakamura-za, The Ichimura-za, and the Kawarazaki-za.

There are various types of Japanese folk dances that fall under the Noh Mai style of dance.

The first is a dance that is usually performed by a female and is called the Chu No Mai. This is classified as neither a slow or quick type of dance.
Another style of the Noh Mai is the Jo No Mai, which is slower. A female generally performs this type of dance in costume dressed as either a ghost, spirit, deity, a woman of nobility, or a prostitute.
Another type of Noh Mai dance is the Otoko Mai. This dance is done by an unmasked male who tries to display a character as being heroic.
Another dance done by males is the Kami Mai. This is a very fast dance where the male dances to portray a deity. A female who performs this same type of dance is said to be doing the Kagura, which can be performed in a number of different ways.
Gaku is the final type of Noh Mai dance and it is performed to imitate music of the imperial court. This dance is usually done in costume. Therefore, costumes and masks are very important and often play a large role in getting the point of the dance across to an audience.
Noh Mai dance masks are known as the most artistic in Japan. All of the different Noh Mai types of dance are performed with body movements that can be described as elegant and beautiful.

This dance is done differently across all the regions of Japan.

The movements and gestures used during the dance typically depict the history, geography, or work performed in the particular region.
This type of traditional Japanese dance also uses small hand instruments as part of the dance. These can either be fans, small towels, or wooden clappers or drums.
The thing that remains constant across all regions is where the dance is performed. It is typically performed at the Obon festival where the dance is done to welcome spirits.
The dance is done around the Yagura, which is a large wooden scaffold. The dancers circle around this structure either clockwise or counterclockwise moving to and away from the Yagura that lies in the center.

The Nihon Buyo is typically performed on stage for theatrical purposes.

The dance incorporates movement, gestures, costumes, and masks from all three of the other traditional dances performed in Japan.
This dance has become an art form among the people of Japan and is made strictly for stage performance.
One of the most popular types of Nihon Buyo is the Sparrow Dance. This dance is typically done by children during the Obon festival in many areas. The dance is performed by doing gestures and movements that mirror the movements of the Eurasian sparrow.

Japanese folk dance, in all of the four major styles, contributes to the rich cultural history of Japan.

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