At that time, the Ise Grand Shrine (in modern day Mie Prefecture) was considered one of the most important and holiest sites in the Shinto religion. Many made the pilgrimage to this sacred site. For those who lived very far away, this journey was virtually impossible due to finances, time commitment and distance. Because of this, priests would travel to villages, crossroads and other locations to help the locals by driving away evil spirits through performing sacred rituals. These rituals served as a talisman for the people and became known as daikagura. Over time these sacred rituals evolved into traditional folk entertainment; performance groups began migrating to Edo (modern day Tokyo) and Edo-daikagura was born.
The Maruichi Senoh Troupe has been a well known performance troupe since the Edo Period, once performing in front of the Imperial General. The stunts and performances have been passed down from generation to generation. Towards the end of the 19th Century, the 10th generation of performers began expanding into Europe, incorporating some modern aspects into daikagura. (段落合併) The current troupe are 13th generation performers. In addition to performing the annual traditional rituals in January, they travel and perform in a variety of celebrations and festivals, both locally and abroad. When not on tour, in order to carry on and promote their traditional folk heritage, the Maruichi Senoh Troupe leads an “Edo-Daikagura Classroom” Workshop to educate and train the next generation of young performers.