Serpents writhe across the entire stage. In the Iwami region of western Shimane, performers in dazzling masks and embroidered robes dance to driving music, enacting the old myths. The most famous piece, Yamata-no-Orochi, brings out long-bodied serpents that breathe fire, coil around one another, and fill the floor. The form is ancient, danced as an offering to the gods at shrine festivals, but after the Meiji era a faster eight-beat style spread and gave it the theatrical energy it has today. The costumes, heavy with gold-thread embroidery, can weigh more than ten kilograms and represent the height of local craft. Young people in the region carry the tradition forward, dancing through autumn nights at shrines across the area. The myths are still alive here, and still dancing.