EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)

Bugaku dances are an amalgam of a variety of dances that were imported into Japan from the Asian continent and incorporated into official court functions. Particularly popular during the Heian period (794 - 1185), bugaku was not only performed by professionals at official functions, but also by amateur courtiers during pleasurable pastimes such as 'cherry blossom-viewing' and 'moon-gazing' parties, archery contests and horse racing. Each dance is accompanied by a large drum (dadaiko) with a flaming wood frame, as depicted on the cover of this box.