Scouts are something one associates with Christianity. That was certainly Baden-Powell’s intention when he founded the boy scout movement in 1907 in the UK. But on an early morning visit to Shimogamo Jinja I came across a Shinto scout group … Read the rest
Category: Kyoto shrines (Page 26 of 28)
In the morning the festival procession had left Shimogamo Shrine for Mikage Shrine at Yase, where participants collected the aramitama of the kami (and had lunch). In the afternoon the procession returned to Shimogamo, where the kami was welcomed … Read the rest
About half an hour ago, a large procession set off from Shimogamo Shrine here in Kyoto to head for Mikage Shrine, up in the hills near Yase. It’s one of several pre-events for the Aoi Matsuri, Kyoto’s oldest festival.
The … Read the rest
Imamiya is not one of Kyoto’s foremost shrines. But it’s atmospheric, boasts some unusual features, and hosts an interesting festival. it stands next to the temple of Daitokuji, famous for its Zen gardens and historical associations (such as with … Read the rest
One of the delights of Kyoto is coming unexpectedly across places of historical import.
This evening on the way home I passed a torii affixed to a building with a small dark opening. A nearby noticeboard announced that it … Read the rest
February 25 every year is Baika sai (Plum blossom festival) at Kyoto’s Kitano Tenmangu shrine. It’s also the monthly flea market known as Tenjin san. (Tenjin is the Kitano kami, alias Sugawara Michizane (845-903), a Heian-era statesman. )
Plum … Read the rest
Each Kyoto shrine has its own attraction for the Setsubun ritual. Some feature special demon costumes. Some invite celebrities. Some prepare extensive gifts and make sure that everyone gets beans. Yasaka Jinja offers dances by maiko (apprentice geisha) for the … Read the rest