In Shinto, sacred dance and music performed for the kami are called Kagura.
Kagura is a form of ritual music and dance associated with Shinto worship. Performances may be offered at shrines during festivals, ceremonies, and other religious occasions. They can include musicians, dancers, masks, costumes, singing, and dramatic storytelling, depending on the local tradition.
The term is traditionally associated with the myth of Amaterasu, the sun deity. In that story, the goddess Amaterasu hides in a cave, and the other deities use celebration and performance to draw her out. Shrine kagura is understood as a ritual art that honors, entertains, or welcomes the kami.
Kagura varies widely across Japan, so there is no single nationwide choreography or musical style. It should not be confused with norito, which means formal ritual prayer, or ema, the wooden plaques used for written votive offerings. These may all appear within the wider life of a shrine.