Japanese festivals
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Japanese festivals, or matsuri, are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. The origin of the word matsuri is related to the kami; there are theories that the wor
Big Mikoshi "Yatai" Parade on Miki Autumn Harvest Festival in Miki, Hyōgo
Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto
Awa Odori in Tokushima
Gion Matsuri in Kyoto
Gion Matsuri
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The Gion Festival is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan, taking place annually during the month of July in Kyoto. Many events take place in central Kyoto and at the Yasaka Shrine, t
Japanese festivals
…and the souls of their ancestors, but also terrifying onryō and violent kami that protect people from epidemics and natural disasters. For example, Gion Matsuri, Tenjin Matsuri, and Kanda Matsuri, which are considered the three major festivals in Japan, worship the onryō of Gozu Tennō, Sugawara no Michizane…
Yoiyama during the Gion Festival
The parade held in Kyoto in the 1920s
Traditional wooden floats in Gion Matsuri 2014
Festival street with food and craft vendors