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 archery. Arrows are fired off with symbolic meaning, acting as agents of purification as they cut clean through the air. I arrived a few minutes late and found myself locked out of the shrine compound – first time I’ve seen them shut the gates at an event. The crowd inside were cordoned off behind ropes for safety reasons, and those of us on the outside were able to watch through the narrow holes in the railing.
Then in the afternoon there were horse races at Kamigamo as a means of invoking the kami’s protection for the forthcoming parade on May 15th. There was glorious sunshine, and the new growth of Kamigamo’s greenery sparkled with joy. The horses galloped over the short distance with amazing speed, and the crowd was regaled with an English-language commentary alongside the Japanese by shrine priest, Inui Mitsutaka.
By the end of a sunblessed day, there could be little doubt that the kami were positively smiling on this year’s Aoi Matsuri.
The front gate of the Shimogamo compound shut, as some visitors turn back and others peep through the railings
Before the event, the area is swept clean - a kind of purification for the purification event
Archers in period costume take their seats
The first arrow to be launched was a loud whistling arrow by the man in orange on the far side
A row of archers then let loose at a target one after another - and photographers took aim too
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