Yamabushi at the Gion Festival: Supernatural Prayers to Benefit All Beings
Combining spiritual practices to benefit all beings with history, magic, myths, and legend, it’s challenging to be cooler than a committed yamabushi. Did you know that the Gion Matsuri and yamabushi share connections dating back centuries? And that dozens of yamabushi...
Japan’s Most Famous Festival: Kyoto’s Gion Festival
One of numerous Gion Festival iconic events: the spectacular Ato Matsuri floats procession on July 24. The spectacular Ato Matsuri floats procession, an iconic part of the Gion Festival. [/caption]Dating to 869 C.E., Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri shines as a beacon of more...
Gion Matsuri 2022: How Will It Look?
Update: See the latest blog on Gion Matsuri 2022 here. Gion Festival fans around the world are wondering: will there be a Gion Matsuri 2022? What kind of shape will it take? We won’t know until the Gion Matsuri Yamaboko Rengokai (Gion Festival Floats...
Gion Festival 2021: Small in Size, Big in Heart
The Yasaka Jinja is usually buzzing with visitors during the Gion Festival, but not in 2021. Image courtesy Jorie Johnson. No doubt the Gion Festival community and Kyoto authorities felt heartbroken to scale back the Gion Festival 2021 due to covid. Of course, this...
Gion Festival 2021, Covid Update: Subdued, Dedicated, Quiet!
Gion Matsuri 2021: festival-goers pay respects at the festival’s parent Yasaka Shrine. Are they praying for an end to covid, the Gion Festival’s original purpose? Image courtesy Jorie Johnson. Here’s a covid update on the Gion Festival 2021. Priding...Get The Book
