May 5 was a big day in Kyoto, with events at both the Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines in preparation for the forthcoming Aoi Matsuri parade (May 15).
At Shimogamo the morning event is known as Busha Shinji (Warrior Rites), involving … Read the rest
Category: Festivals (Page 20 of 26)
The oldest of Kyoto’s Big Three Festivals is the Aoi Matsuri on May 15 (the others are the Gion Matsuri and the Jidai Matsuri). Aoi means hollyhock, once thought to have protective power, and the festival originated in the sixth … Read the rest
The cherry blossom by my house are in full bloom at the moment, a reminder of the joys of spring. Celebrating the yearly round is an important part of pagan traditions, which signifies our connection with the seasonal cycle … Read the rest
Nakedness used to play a vital role in Japanese festivals and fertility rites. Under the influence of the sex-obsessed cultures of the West, it has been sadly downplayed or even thought shameful by some. But the so-called Hadaka Matsuri (Naked … Read the rest
Pack your bags and head for Komaki, outside Nagoya, for March 15 is the ‘big penis’ festival when fertility rites are celebrated in the Honen Matsuri at Tagata Jinja. The festival attracts great attention amongst Westerners, because of the celebration … Read the rest
Spectacular evenings at Todai-ji at the moment, with the nightly Omizutori festival (described below). It’s on until March 14 and definitely worth checking out. Given the number of times wooden buildings have burnt down in Japanese history, it’s amazing … Read the rest
Today is auspicious arrow day… A symbolic shooting of arrows in the air in the direction of the four quarters to ward off evil.
There’s a sacred archery festival (busha sai) at Fushimi Inari, which has a close connection … Read the rest