Dano Jojeonje (Morning Ritual) is held every morning at 10:00 AM from May 4th to May 8th of the lunar calendar, when the Danoje Festival takes place, at the Dano altar. As the Danoje Festival is a ritual to pray for a bountiful harvest and peace throughout the Gangneung and Yeongdong regions, the heads of organizations and institutions in Gangneung serve as heongwan (ritual officials) to perform the sacrificial rites. Confucian-style ancestral rituals are male-centric rituals, mainly performed with men taking an interest in praying for the well-being of the entire local community and the prosperity of their livelihoods.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Because Gangneung is adjacent to the seashore and many of the Gangneung citizens and Yeongdong residents are engaged in the fishing industry, Yongwanggut is performed. It is a gut (shamanic ritual) that prevents maritime safety accidents and prays for a bountiful catch of fish (pungeo). It also includes the meaning of comforting the souls of people who died from accidents at sea.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Chukwongut is a gut (shamanic ritual) that offers prayers and blessings for the audience participating in the gut. It prays for the comfort and peace of households, the well-being of descendants, and abundance. When the Chukwongut is performed, one can see many elderly residents of Gangneung coming forward to burn sacred paper (soji) and make their wishes.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Chukwongut is a gut (shamanic ritual) that offers prayers and blessings for the audience participating in the gut. It prays for the comfort and peace of households, the well-being of descendants, and abundance. When the Chukwongut is performed, one can see many elderly residents of Gangneung coming forward to burn sacred paper (soji) and make their wishes.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Songshinje is the final sacrificial rite of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a ritual to send back the Guksa Seonghwangshin (the State Preceptor City Deity) and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female State Preceptor City Deity) to the places where they originally belonged. While wrapping up the Gangneung Danoje Festival that has been held over a grand span of about 40 days, the sacrificial rite is performed with the wishes that the couple of Guksa Seonghwangshin has well accepted the spiritual offerings (heumhyang) and with a heart praying for the prosperity and well-being of the region. In the Songshin ritual containing such earnest prayers, one can feel an atmosphere so solemn that it becomes genuinely devout.

Upon the completion of Songsinje (the farewell ritual for the deities), the interior of the gutdang (shamanic ritual hall) begins to buzz with excitement. Spectators engage in a playful scuffle to secure the jimul (sacred decorative objects) that adorned the hall. Joining the procession with these sacred objects is seen as contributing to the act of sending off the deities, as the participants believe it makes them an integral part of the Gangneung Danoje Festival itself. Hwanugut is the specific ritual segment (gutgeori) performed as all these sacred decorations are transferred from the ritual hall to the burning site.

Following the Confucian-style Songsinje, this ritual drops the divine spirit onto the sinmok (sacred tree branch) once again via a medium channel (dae) to confirm that the Guksa Seonghwang (State Preeminent Guardian Deity) has graciously accepted the rituals. Hwanugut—the act of burning everything belonging to the gods, including the sinmok, jihwa (sacred paper flowers), tapdeung (tower lanterns), chorongdeung (silk lanterns), and yongseon (dragon boat)—marks the grand conclusion of the entire Dano Gut performance.

[Gangneung Arts Association] plays a pivotal role in the artistic and cultural development of Gangneung—a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage—by organizing annual literary events, festivals, and performances. Currently comprising nine member organizations, the association participates in the Gangneung Danoje Festival every year to showcase a sublime feast of professional arts and culture.

For this year's Dano stage, the Music Association, the Traditional Korean Music Association, and the Dance Association will take part.

The Music Association presents Trio Rein, a piano trio actively performing centered around the Yeongdong region, featuring pianist Lee Yu-rim, violinist Song Yu-jin, and cellist Ji Hye-ran. They will perform a diverse and captivating selection of piano trio repertoires spanning from the classical to the contemporary eras.

The Traditional Korean Music Association will stage a performance highlighting the multifaceted charm of traditional music, featuring pieces such as the "Eight Provinces Folk Song Medley," beautifully arranged for a duet of the yanggeum (western-style dulcimer) and gayageum (twelve-stringed zither).

The Dance Association will close the showcase with an energetic and dynamic dance lineup. Their performance will feature a fusion stage blending three distinct modern styles—waacking, girlish, and K-POP—alongside a poignant Korean traditional dance titled Neokpuri (soul-consoling dance), and the vibrant rhythms of Dance Sport's rumba and jive.

Presented by the 〈Gayageum Ensemble Haslla〉, this stage is a reinterpretation of the flow of the Gangneung Danoje Festival through traditional Korean music, unraveling everything from the festival's commencement and its climax to the lingering resonance left after its conclusion into beautiful sounds.

The first chapter, "The Sound of Commencement," captures the historical legacy of the Danoje Festival that has continued year after year, along with the fluttering excitement of its beginning. This introductory movement musically expresses the passage of time that bridges the past and the present.

The following second chapter, "The Sound of Gathering," depicts the onset of the grand celebration through the vivid imagery of people gathering together while holding blazing torches.

In the third chapter, "The Sound of the Pan Opening," the authentic festive arena unfolds in earnest amidst cheerful and lighthearted rhythms (jangdan). Here, the performers and the audience breathe as one, steadily elevating the Heung (joyful excitement) of the festival.

The fourth chapter, "The Sound of Maturing Delight," expresses the exact moment when the fever of the festival reaches its absolute climax through familiar, captivating melodies. While showcasing the vibrant, high-spirited atmosphere of the Danoje Festival at its peak, the performance gently transitions into the final chapter, "The Lingering Sound," capturing the profound resonance left behind once the festival draws to a close. Through calm and serene reverberations, this concluding piece invites the audience to reflect upon the true meaning and values of the Gangneung Danoje Festival.

〈Dano NEW WAVE〉 is a contemporary performance rooted in Jeontong-yeonhui (traditional Korean performing arts), reinterpreting it through the music and movements of today while capturing the true essence of Dano as a "festival for coming together and enjoying as one." The performance opens with Binari (a ritual song for blessings), naturally drawing the audience in as the rhythms and movements gradually build up. In the flagship piece "Tteru," the performers breathe in perfect unison with the crowd, dissolving the boundaries between the stage and the audience.

The performance maximizes the explosive energy of traditional arts through Beona (saucer-spinning) and Sangmo (ribbon-hat spinning) spectacles, while elevating the festive atmosphere in "Baetnorae" (Boating Song) through collective sing-alongs (ttechang) and synchronized movements. Finally, in "Gwangdaega" (The Clown Song), an intense and powerful performance creates the pinnacle of the stage, redefining what it truly means to be a Gwangdae (performing artist) in this day and age.

Rather than a simple recreation of heritage, this production is a festival-style performance that combines traditional performing arts and a live band with the raw, contemporary sense of Heung (joyful excitement) that we feel today—culminating in a masterpiece completed together with the audience.

Dano lanterns hung all across the Dano grounds allow people to make wishes, leading many citizens to participate in hanging their own lanterns. In particular, when you register for a Dano lantern ticket, you will receive a wish paper along with a raffle ticket. Please note that registration for the Dano lantern tickets is available exclusively on-site, and the raffle drawing will take place on the final day of Dano.

Over 100 abundant prizes, including home appliances and daily necessities, have been generously prepared through the participation of local businesses and small merchants in Gangneung—with a car awaiting as the grand first-prize. Come and catch your luck by participating in the Dano Raffle Event, the grand finale that marks the end of the Gangneung Danoje Festival!

[Dano Puppet Theater] is a professional puppet theater affiliated with the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Association, created for various creative performances utilizing the original contents of the Gangneung Danoje Festival. Since 2009, it has been presenting the Gwanno Mask Dance as a puppet show so that people of all ages and genders can enjoy it easily and playfully.

Gwanno Mask Puppet Show is a work newly recreated into a spoken (yuyeon) puppet show by adding humor and wit-filled dialogue to the Gangneung Danoje Festival's "Gwanno Mask Dance," which is the only traditional non-verbal (mueon) mask drama in Korea centered primarily on dance and movements. Because it has dialogue, it is easy to understand, making it a performance that everyone, young and old, can enjoy easily and delightfully. Puppeteers who control the marionettes, a narrator (byeonsa), and musicians decorate the stage together.

also follows the composition of the original Gwanno Mask Dance exactly in terms of its characters and plot development.

Located to the south of Gangneung and embracing a millennium of history from the Gulsansa Temple Site, Haksan Village is a land so abundant and sacred that an old saying goes, "In life, one wishes to live in Mosan and Haksan (生居茅鶴山)." This historic and cultural village is not only the sacred birthplace of Beomil Guksa (State Preceptor Beomil), the principal deity of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, but also a place that has faithfully preserved 〈Gangneung Haksan Odokttegi〉, a noble traditional farming song of the Korean people.

Odokttegi is an agricultural folk song imbued with both the refined artistic spirit (Pungryu) of the Silla Dynasty's Hwarang (elite youth warriors) and a philosophy of mutual coexistence achieved through reclaiming noble fields. Its historical value is so profound that King Sejo of the Joseon Dynasty, deeply amazed by the performers' immense skill, had them accompany the royal procession with the formal courtesies reserved for royal musicians. Transcending a simple melody, this song sublimates grueling farmwork into fine art, symbolizing the resilient vitality and community spirit of the Gangneung people.

Passed down through generations by the residents of Haksan Village, 〈Haksan Odokttegi〉 reenacts the entire year-long process of farming—from rice planting to threshing—reviving a thousand-year-old resonance into today's sinmyeong (exuberant joy). At the Gangneung Danoje Festival performance, visitors can truly experience the essence of Odokttegi, rich with the earthy scent of the Haksan fields, ranging from the lively Paraesori (weed-pulling song) and the cheerful Jajin Arari to the festive excitement of Madaengisori (threshing song).

At the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a wide variety of special stages unfold where ordinary citizens take the spotlight as the main protagonists. One such highlight is the 〈Traditional Culture Class Student Performance〉, organized and hosted by the Gangneung Danoje Festival Preservation and Education Center.

Students who have learned and mastered traditional Korean arts—which are often not easily accessible in daily life, such as the piri (double-reed bamboo oboe), taepyeongso (conical oboe), minyo (traditional folk songs), traditional dance, Gangneung Nongak (farm music), samulnori (traditional percussion quartet), janggu (hourglass drum), and modeumbuk (assembled drums)—will take the Danoje stage to showcase the skills they have passionately honed.

Bringing together a broad spectrum of participants ranging from beginners to advanced learners, and spanning ages from their 40s to their 80s, this stage offers a deeply meaningful window into how the traditional culture of Gangneung beautifully passes down its lineage and is joyfully savored within the everyday lives of its people.

Designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1985, 〈Gangneung Nongak〉 (Farm Music of Gangneung) is counted among the eight major Nongak traditions in South Korea, alongside Jinju Samcheonpo Nongak, Pyeongtaek Nongak, Iri Nongak, Imsil Pilbong Nongak, Gurye Nongak, Gimcheon Geumneung Bitnae Nongak, and Namwon Nongak.

The ensemble of Gangneung Nongak is composed of a nonggi (farming flag), swaenap (double-reed oboe), kkaenggwari (small gong), jing (large gong), buk (barrel drum), janggu (hourglass drum), sogo (small hand drum), beopgo (narrow hand drum), and mudong (young boy dancers). Musicians wear white traditional shirts and trousers tied with tricolor sashes of red, blue, and yellow, while the mudong are dressed in vibrant, multi-colored outfits.

What sets Gangneung Nongak apart from other regional traditions is the distinct differentiation between beopgo and sogo, alongside the prominent inclusion of numerous mudong. The brass gong rhythms (soe-garak) are simple yet remarkably fast, making it recognized as the fastest Nongak in the country. Since most of the dances are performed at a running pace, the spectacle is incredibly gallant, vigorous, and full of life.

As one of the representative Yeongdong Nongak traditions transmitted east of the Taebaek Mountains in Gangwon-do, it is also referred to as Nongsa-puri Nongak (Farming-mimicking Farm Music) due to its theatrical enactment that mimics agricultural life. Focusing primarily on collective and communal play, Gangneung Nongak plays a vital role in enabling people to forget the hardships of farming, while fostering mutual harmony and solidarity within the village.

Throughout the entire duration of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, Nongak troupes from eight local villages of Gangneung take turns daily to deliver high-spirited performances at the Namdaecheon Ari Madang. Village residents who preserve the authentic, pristine form of Gangneung Nongak—a UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—will personally present dynamic beopgo plays and sogo dances. These performances will deliver the characteristically lighthearted, cheerful, and powerful energy of the Yeongdong region to all visitors at the Dano grounds.

This mask play was traditionally performed during the period of the "Gangneung Danoje Festival," which is inscribed on both the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and South Korea's National Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is a mask drama that was originally performed by Gwanno—slaves belonging to government offices during the Joseon Dynasty—who conveyed stories through humor and satire despite their strict social limitations. As South Korea's only traditional non-verbal mask drama, the narrative is expressed entirely through dance and gestures without any dialogue.

The main characters include the Yangban Gwangdae (Aristocrat Clown), Somae Gaksi (Young Lady), two Sisi Ttakttaki (Interfering Demons), and two Jangjamari (Fertility Spirits), accompanied by the musicians who lead the rhythm of the drama.

The performance consists of a total of five acts (Gwajang):
Act 1: The Jangjamari appear to liven up the atmosphere and prepare the stage.
Act 2: The romantic courtship between the Yangban Gwangdae and Somae Gaksi unfolds.
Act 3: The Sisi Ttakttaki disrupt and interfere with their romance.
Act 4: A major commotion erupts following a suicide attempt by Somae Gaksi to prove her innocence.
Act 5: The drama concludes with a reconciliation between the Yangban Gwangdae and Somae Gaksi, where all characters and the audience come together to dance, celebrate, and harmonize.

In Gangneung-si, various organizations learn and preserve the lineage of the Gwanno Mask Drama, and an annual stage is provided during the Danoje Festival for them to showcase their skills. Among them, the Gwanno Mask Drama performed by the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Association is considered the closest to the authentic origin, representing the true history and tradition of the Gangneung Danoje Festival.

"Let’s bring the 2026 Gangneung Danoje Festival to a grand close with a spectacular fireworks show that beautifully embroiders the night sky of Gangneung."