noun
ancient ritual gathering with singing and dancing
Archaic term for a courtship-related gathering of young men and women, involving song and dance. Modern reference works often use 歌垣 instead.
See also: 歌垣
嬥歌は、古代の日本で行われていた歌垣の一種とされる。
嬥歌 is considered a type of utagaki practiced in ancient Japan.
More common modern term for the same historical practice; 嬥歌 is an archaic variant with a jukujikun reading.
The reading かがい is a jukujikun applied to the kanji 嬥歌, which are associated with the ancient practice of utagaki. The exact derivation of the reading is uncertain.