Tag: Aoi Festival

Festival Time in Kyoto

May 1, 2024 / John D. / 0 Comments

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 Kyoto with ancient origins that is almost as impressive , namely the Aoi Matsuri. The Gion Festival takes place in July; the Aoi Festival in May. Together the two ancient festivals stand in contrast to the Meiji-era creation of the Jidai Matsuri in the autumn.

Gion Matsuri is hosted by Yasaka Shrine, Aoi Matsuri jointly by Shimogamo and Kamigamo; Jidai Matsuri by Heian Jingu. At the heart of these Shinto festivals is a procession, put on for the delight of the kami (and of course the citizenry, who crowd the streets to watch). In the case of the Aoi Matsuri this takes place on May 15.

Before the procession there are preparatory events, mostly consisting of purification rituals. The first major event takes place on May 3 at 13.00 in the wooded precincts of Shimogamo Shrine. It is known as Yabusame Shinji, or Mounted Archery Ritual, the purpose is to purify the procession route and ensure its safety. Here is a report from an earlier Green Shinto posting.

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Each year on May 3^rd at Shimogamo Shrine, one of the preparatory events for the Aoi Festival begins at 13:00 within the green canopy of the Tadasu no Mori forest. The Yabusame Shinji, or Mounted Archery Ritual, is conducted to pray for the safety of the procession and to purify the parade route. Performed by archers of the Ogasawara school based in Kamakura, it is carried out in a style that traces its history back some 850 years and involves riders thundering down a 500-meter lane firing arrows at three targets along the way.

The sound of thundering hoof-beats growing closer and closer lets people know something exciting is about to happen, and each time an archer hits the target, a cheer can be heard from the assembled crowd. If you are in town for Golden Week or Aoi Matsuri, be sure not to miss this dynamic ritual and display of martial prowess. Be warned however; it can be very crowded and difficult to see if you don’t get there early enough.

Busha Shinji (Pre-Aoi archery)

May 9, 2018 / John D. / 0 Comments

The Aoi Festival is one of Kyoto’s Big Three Festivals, though if like me you appreciate authenticity over pageantry you might say it’s one of Kyoto’s Big Two (together with Gion Matsuri in July). Like the Gion Festival, there are a lot of pre-events and preparatory rites before the main event, which consists of a long procession.

One of the pre-events for the Aoi Festival main procession (May 15) is the Busha Shinji on May 5, an auspicious date for purification by arrows. This follows the purification by water a couple of days earlier of the governing ‘saio’ or vestal virgin.

Purifying the compound. This arrow was launched over the entrance gate to dispell any lurking evil spirits.

This year’s event was carried out by the Ogasawara-ryu School of Archery, some of whom were venerable enough to nod off during proceedings.

Paying respects

The priestly officials supervising the occasion, with trademark aoi (hollyhock) leaves on their hats

Getting set and taking aim is done in deliberate ritual fashion

As in Japanese culture generally, precision, respect, care, harmony and concentration are the guiding principles

Shoulders are exposed for the firing of the arrows

Drawing the arrow to its full length requires strength and endurance. Such was the tautness that hands were visibly shaking. Most scored a direct hit on the target, representing a direct hit on any evil spirit that might have been planning to pollute the proceedings.

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For an earlier posting on this event, please see this link: https://www.greenshinto.com/2013/05/06/shimogamo-archery-pre-aoi-55/

Post-Aoi (Kamigamo)

May 16, 2015 / John D. / 8 Comments

The inner torii in festive garb

Yesterday Kyoto’s Aoi Festival took place, and since I’ve seen the festival several times I thought I’d take a stroll this year around Kamigamo Shrine after the proceedings had ended. I was glad I did, for I found the shrine to be full of interest and activity, without the crowds that can make such occasions irksome. Though I only had my old iphone camera to hand, there was sufficient light left in the day for a few rough shots…

Attractive suzu bells were fixed to the top of the rope at the small enmusubi shrine. Notice the five colours on the banner representing the five elements.

A long queue at the Honden (Worship Hall), which unusually was open for worship since the kami is temporarily absent during the shikinen sengu cycle of renewal due to be completed later this year.

Sprigs of the aoi-katsura tree were on sale for ¥300 to fix at the entrance to homes as a protection against evil spirits and illness. At the bottom is a picture from a medieval scroll to show that this was ancient practice.

Even though the crowds had dispersed, the shrine office was still doing brisk business…

…. one of the most popular items were sheep omikuji fortune slips (this being the year of the sheep).

Afterwards the omikuji were tied up in an arrangement that with a bit of imagination can be seen to be a sheep.

In creative fashion, the omikuji were tied up in an arrangement that with a bit of imagination can be seen to be a sheep.

In fact, sheep seemed to be everywhere. This one, at the entrance to the compound, was carved by a chainsaw.

The shrine boasts a fine collection of newly printed ema. This heart-shaped one with a Heian-era court lady and short poem is for finding a good love relationship.

On the back of the love relation ema are two leaves of the shrine's emblematic plant known as Futaba Aoi.

On the back are the two leaves of the shrine’s emblematic plant known as Futaba Aoi. This person, who gives her name and address, asks to find a good connection to someone.

This ema shows the display of horse archery that is one of the pre-events for the Aoi Festival

Another of the ema shows the display of horse skills that is one of the pre-events for the Aoi Festival

Here is displayed a manifestation of the shrine’s kami, Wakeikazuchi no mikoto, a thunder deity

An example of the new-style privacy covering for people who don’t want others reading their love wishes. Unfortunately the innovation hasn’t been perfected yet for when it rains the covering strips off to reveal all…

On the way out I came across this curious monk who had wandered in to take a look at the shrine. His hat was covered in yellow tape, the ‘deerskin’ that shugendo ascetics wear on their backs was some kind of rug, and his wooden pole looked like an old broom handle. I asked him if he was a yamabushi (mountain ascetic) and rather brusquely he answered that he was Zen. The picture on his case by the way is of himself – perhaps it’s his way of reflecting on the ego.