Summer in Japan is traditionally a time for festivals and ritual observances of all sorts, but on July the 20th & 27th, one of the county's most elegant shinto rituals is held... sagi-mai (white heron dance). The rite is a 400 year old tradition played out at Yasaka Shrine in the southern Shimane Prefecture. Two dancers dressed as a pair of beautiful white Herons (male and female) engage in an elegant dance accompanied by the music of drums, flutes, and chorus.

The dancers gracefully spread and fold their wings repeatedly, until finally drawing close together. The gorgeous Heron costumes are made of papier-mache, paper, and wood, and the ritual dance has been performed every year since the 17th Century.