The beginning of a new year in Japan is a time for many purifying events to signify a fresh start, free of the spiritual pollution accumulated in the past year. Japan Today carries an article today highlighting the event … Read the rest
Category: Festivals (Page 12 of 26)
Green Shinto friend, Hugo Kempeneer, has written up his visit to a most interesting ceremony at Fushimi Inari which took place recently. It’s a ceremony I’ve never seen myself, but thanks to his very clear videos of the event, I … Read the rest
Today being Halloween is a timely moment to think of the connections between the western tradition and that of Obon in Japan, which takes place in midsummer. Both centre around the spirits of the dead, but whereas Obon is … Read the rest
The Kansai Scene this month has a special feature on Kansai’s Danjri festivals. These autumn festivals are a high-speed dangerous version of the more sedate Gion Matsuri, with elaborate carts sponsored by particular areas racing through the streets, … Read the rest
Yasui Konpira-gu is one of Green Shinto’s favourite shrines.
It’s in the heart of Kyoto, next to Gion’s traditional geisha era. It’s small but full of history, and it houses the country’s first ema museum. It is famous for … Read the rest
Autumn is a busy time for festivals, and this weekend in Kyoto there were fascinating events at two of Kyoto’s less well-known shrines, Yasui Konpira-gu and Awata Jinja. Green Shinto has reported on the festivals before (see here and … Read the rest
Spring and autumn are busy times of year for Shinto, as festivals take place based around the rice cycle of ancient times. One such event took place this weekend in the charming village of Ohara, just north of Kyoto, … Read the rest