July 7 is the date of the Tanabata celebration, and in the days leading up to it decorated bamboo branches can be seen around Japan. Jut over 100 years ago when Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) wrote … Read the rest
Category: Festivals (Page 3 of 26)
Every year there’s a Shinto festival held at the Sumiyoshi Shrine in Uto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, to an English woman called Kathleen Drew. (Her full name was Kathleeen Mary Drew-Baker.) It’s a curious phenomenon which reminds … Read the rest
Zoom and live streaming have been enjoying a heyday, thanks to the social distancing necessary to combat the Corona virus. Shinto shrines too have been exploring online possibilities while … Read the rest
The Corona crisis has caused disruption around the world and dominated the global media. The effect has been drastic in terms of medical resources and made … Read the rest
Green Shinto has written of the meaning of Setsubun before, and covered the bean-throwing rite at various Kyoto shrines (see here). But we have never been to Matsuo Taisha for Setsubun, and this proved to be the most enjoyable … Read the rest
Chichibu Shinto festival carries on centuries-old tradition
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS /December 5, 2019 Asahi Shimbun
An interesting description in the Asahi Shimbun of a traditional festival in Japan run by a priest who is a leading proponent of Shinto’s … Read the rest
A reminder that the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages) will take place on Oct 22. Those in Kyoto at the time are advised to go early to Gosho (Former Imperial Park), where people mingle with participants before the procession begins. … Read the rest