Gotanshin festival and chino-wa wreath

Carolyn Todd — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:47:25 +0000

When: June 25th from 0900

Where: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

Access: from JR Kyoto Station: bus 50, 101 (30 mins); from Shijo Kawaramachi: bus 203 (25 mins)

This is a purification rite in which a huge (5m) reed wreath is placed at the main shrine gate on the birthday of the shrine god.

It is said that people who walk through the wreath will stay healthy during the next year.

These events are held throughout the country in this season, although most of the events are on the 30th, but this is the biggest wreath in Kyoto.

Tanabata Festival

Carolyn Todd — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:41:05 +0000

When: July 7th

Where: Various shrines, including Jishu-Jinja and Kitano Tenmangu

Access: Jishu-Jinja: Kiyomizu-michi stop: from JR Kyoto Station, bus 206 (15 mins); from Shijo Kawaramachi, bus 207 (10 mins)
Kitano Tenmangu: from JR Kyoto Station, bus 50, 101 (30 mins); from Shijo Kawaramachi, bus 203 (25 mins)

The Tanabata Festival is a star festival of love. In various countries, there are local folk stories of star-crossed lovers whose tales are remembered in the story of the lovers Vega and Altair who are separated in the sky by the Milky Way and are only permitted to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month (which can be interpreted as different dates depending on your calendar).

In Japan, people write their names, maybe with that of a loved one, or hopes and wishes, on paper dolls or strips that they hang on trees in the hope of starting or maintaining a romantic relationship during the year.