Fushimi Inari Taisha Fire Festival

This time, we will introduce the fire burning festival of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

From JR Kyoto Station, go to Tofukuji Temple, transfer to the Keihan Train, get off at Fushimi Inari Station, and walk east for 5 minutes to Fushimi Inari.

Fire Festival will start at 13:00 on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

The Fire Burning Festival is an event to thank the harvest of this year, and the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the largest in Japan.

You will be overwhelmed by the rising flames.

After the ceremony of the main shrine, a fire burning ceremony is held.

Three firebeds are set up in the funeral hall behind the main shrine, and rice straw from Kanda is burned, and the gods who have brought blessings are sent to the mountain.

At that time, fire skewers with more than 100,000 wishes donated from all over the country are lit, and a kagura dance of kagura women is performed.

Seimei Festival

I would like to inform the Seimei Festival of Kyoto Seimei Shrine. 

Take the subway from JR Kyoto Station, get off at Imadegawa Station, and walk west for about 12 minutes to reach Seimei Shrine. 

Yoimiya Festival from 19:00 on 9/22, Shinkosai from 13:00 on 9/23 At the

Yoimiya Festival on the 22nd, there is a procession of paper lanterns and a dedication of Yudate Kagura, and on the 23rd, a total of 500 people, including floats, Yaotome, and portable shrines, parade through the Nishijin area, led by a boys' drum and fife corps.

Daigoji Mantokai

This time, I would like to introduce the Daigoji Mantokai of Kyoto Daigoji.

From Kyoto Station, transfer to the Tozai Subway Line at Yamashina Station on the Tokaido Main Line, get off at Daigo Station, and walk east for 10 minutes.

I arrived at Daigoji Temple.

Daigoji Temple Lantern Party will be held on Saturday, August 5th from 18:00~20:30. From 18:00, the Manto-kai ceremony will be held in the Golden Hall, and from 19:00, a hunger memorial service will be held in front of the Golden Hall.

More than 1,000 lanterns and lanterns are lit to illuminate the approach to the shrine, and spirit memorial services and almsgiving services are held.

The Golden Hall and five-storied pagoda are also lit up.

Please admire the fantastic Mantokai.

Kurama-dera Bamboo Cutting Ceremony

I would like to inform the bamboo cutting ceremony at Kurama Temple, which is known as a sacred mountain of power spots.

Take the JR Nara Line from JR Kyoto Station, change to the Keihan Railway at Tofukuji and get off at Demachiyanagi Station. Take the Eizan Railway from Demachiyanagi Station and get off at Kurama Station. Take the cable car and get off at Tahoto Station and walk 10 minutes to Kurama Temple. 

The bamboo cutting ceremony is one of the oldest events in Kyoto with a history of over 1000 years, and will be held at Kurama Temple on June 20th from 14:00 to 15:00.

Kurama-hoshi, divided into teams of two, compete to see how fast they can cut the green bamboo, which is 4m long and 10cm thick. The left side is called the Tanba-za, and the right is called the Omi-za. A monk wearing a Benkei kimono cuts down bamboo with a machete, predicts the year's good harvest in both regions, gives thanks to the water, and prays for the clearing of evil.

The Kakeuma Shinji of Fujimori Festival

Fujimori Festival is held from May 1 to 5 every year, and during the Shinko Festival, three mikoshi, a warrior procession, and a drum flute corps built by Ujiko in the Edo period tour the Ujiko area. 

This time, we will introduce the Kakeuma Shinji of this Fujimori Festival. From JR Kyoto Station, take the Nara Line and get off at Fujimori Station. It takes about 5 minutes on foot to the northwest and you will arrive at Fujimori Shrine.

The Kakeuma Shinji will be held on May 5 from 11:30 and 13:30, and seven types of acrobatic techniques such as reins diving, reverse riding, arrow slashing, sideways riding, and handstand will be demonstrated. 

The stunning feat of recreating the horsemanship of the battlefield is thrilling and powerful.