The Aoi festivities, which last the whole month, are overseen by a symbolic ‘Saio-dai’ who is chosen to represent the imperial princess who was once attached to the Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shrines. It’s supposed to be a great honour, and … Read the rest
Category: Festivals (Page 1 of 26)
Most people who think of Kyoto and festival will bring to mind the month-long Gion Matsuri, an event of ancient origins which displays much of the craftsmanship that makes the old capital special.
But there is another month-long festival in … Read the rest
Spring is an exciting time of year. After the winter hibernation, nature reawakens in colourful and often spectacular fashion. Plum and cherry blossom are accompanied by daffodil and crocus. Farmers set about planting again, and Shinto hosts a range of … Read the rest
Feb 3 is Setsubun and a time for throwing beans at demons. (Beans represent vitality, demons represent evil spirits that cause illness and ill fortune.) The event takes place at shrines, temples and in people’s … Read the rest
The report below, featured in today’s Independent newspaper, prompts the question of what the women will be wearing when they partake for the first time in a Naked Festival with over a millennium’s worth of tradition . As can … Read the rest
(first posted 2010)
The folk deity Ebisu is at the centre of the businessman’s festival of Toka Ebisu
The approach to Kyoto’s Ebisu Jinja is down narrow streets of stalls and jostling crowds
The small shrine compound is packed, with … Read the rest
These extracts are part of an ongoing series from a forthcoming book about travelling from the most northerly station in Japan to the most southerly.
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Kunchi refers to … Read the rest