A thousand years of tradition roar through the streets of Nagai each spring during the Nagai Black Lion Festival, one of the region’s most distinctive cultural celebrations. Bringing together black lion dances from shrines across the city, the event offers visitors a rare glimpse into a deeply rooted local tradition that has been passed down for generations.
Known as Kuroshishimai, the black lion dance is unique to Nagai. Featuring striking jet-black lion heads and long flowing bodies, the performers move through the streets in dramatic fashion, earning the dances the nickname “centipede lions.” The tradition is believed to date back more than 1,000 years to the Heian period and remains closely connected to prayers for water, good harvests, family safety, and protection from disaster.
The festival transforms the city into a lively stage of music, ritual, and movement as lions from multiple shrines parade through central Nagai and around Shirotsutsuji Park. Even heavy rain does little to dampen the atmosphere, with the sound of clacking lion jaws and energetic dances continuing well into the evening.
Alongside the performances, visitors can also browse festival-exclusive souvenirs including acrylic keychains, posters, traditional tenugui hand towels, and collaboration artwork by Kensuke Takahashi.
For travelers hoping to experience a lesser-known side of Japan, the Nagai Black Lion Festival delivers a powerful blend of folklore, spirituality, and community pride that still thrives today.
