Kagura-den

Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū's kagura-den

The kagura-den or kagura-dono (神楽殿, lit. kagura palace), also called maidono (舞殿, dance palace) or buden (舞殿) with reference to the bugaku traditional dance, is the building within a Shinto shrine where the sacred dance (kagura) and music are offered to the kami during ceremonies. It was originally just a temporary stage, first mentioned in a 9th-century text describing a maidono built in front of Hirano Shrine. In about a century it had become a permanent shrine feature, and its use was extended until its function as a worship hall prevailed over the original. It is now used also for weddings and Noh plays. Some scholars believe the heiden, or hall of worship, has its origins in the kagura-den.