The Hirusawa Shishi-odori is a traditional folk performing art held on August 13th in the Hirusawa village of the Koshiyama area in Odate city, Akita. There are various stories being told regarding the origins of this dance. 

One story is that it began around 1682. A family called Sasaki lost the battle and fled to this area, and settled here. The tradition of the dance is said to have begun when Zenzaemon, the head of the Sasaki family, built a shrine and performed the Shishi-odori for those who died in the battle, praying for happiness. 

There are also other stories that are being told that began during the Anei era (1772-1781) or the Bunka era (1804-1818). In these cases, it is believed to have begun as a ritual performed for the sake of one’s ancestors. It is also said that the dance was introduced from another region. Stories include the belief that was spread when the feudal lord of Akita, the Satake clan, arrived, or that it was brought over from the Tsugaru region of Aomori. 

Furthermore, it is said that the people of Hirusawa developed their dance style by imitating and devising movements from Shishi-odori in a neighboring village called Yamada. For example, the scene in which two male lions fight over one female lion is the same as in Yamada; however, there are differences in the shapes of the dances and other details. 

Until the 1950s, the Hirusawa Shishi-odori was a large event with about 50 people participating, and was performed in various places such as shrines, cemeteries, and in front of houses. However, as time passes, there are fewer dancers. Therefore, in 1972, a preservation society (Hirusawa Shishi-odori Preservation Society) was formed and has been working to preserve the tradition. Later in 1994, it was designated as an intangible folk culture property of Odate city.