The Gion Festival is one of Kyoto’s Big Three Festivals, along with the Aoi Festival and the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). For many people, it’s the most enjoyable. The big parade takes place on the morning of July … Read the rest
Category: Festivals (Page 19 of 26)
At the end of June, many shrines hold an ancient Japanese purification rite called Nagoshi no Harae. In this ceremony started in the Nara period, people atone for their sins in the first half of the year and then … Read the rest
Aoi Festival Grand Procession: Ancient Capital Shines under Clear Skies
adapted from the Kyoto Shimbun
The Aoi Festival, the first of Kyoto’s three major festivals, stretched out through Kyoto City today. A total of 511 participants dressed in noble … Read the rest
This is the second part of the entry about Mikage-sai, which takes place on May 12. A previous post covered the morning ritual at Shimogamo Shrine, when participants partake in purification rites prior to taking buses up to Mikage … Read the rest
May 12 is a big day for Kyoto. An awesome day, you might say. This is the day when the two co-hosts of the Aoi Matsuri, Shimogamo and Kamigamo, receive the kami from their sacred hills and renew the … Read the rest
On May 15 the oldest of Kyoto’s Big Three Festivals takes place. The Aoi Matsuri is the city’s big spring event; the Gion Matsuri is the summer bonanza; and the Jidai Matsuri is the autumnal offering. In winter we … Read the rest
The Keiba Shinji (aka Kurabe Uma Shinji) is a horse race which takes place on May 5 every year at Kamigamo Jinja. It started 920 years ago to please the kami in preparation for the main event of the … Read the rest