Kyoto’s Kamigamo Shrine takes the spotlight this month, since it’s co-hosting the Aoi Festival with its sister shrine Shimogamo.
The Aoi Matsuri is the oldest of Kyoto’s festivals, dating back to around 544 according to Nihon shoki. The name … 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
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
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 time for horse-riding events is coming up in Kyoto, with festivals at Shimogamo Shrine on May 3 and Kamigamo on May 5. The famed Yabusame horse archery (May 3) is just one of several horse-related events that take … Read the rest
Mt Koya and Mt Hiei are the twin peaks of Japan’s esoteric Buddhism. Mt Koya houses the head temple of Shingon, and Mt Hiei that of the Tendai sect. Both complexes are much smaller now than they were in … 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
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