Address:
625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku | Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto 605-0073, Kyoto Prefecture
Yasaka-jinja コメチャンネル Yasaka- shrine Kyoto Japan
Yasaka-jinja (jinja means shrine) respects Susanoo-no-mikoto, Kushiinadahime-no-mikoto, and Yahashira-no-mikogami.
Susanoo-no-mikoto is a great god in Japanese mythology, known for his defeat of Yamata-no-orochi (a large serpent with eight heads: a symbol of many disasters), redemption of Kushiinadahime-no-mikoto, and produced the ground great-discernment on the earth.
According to the legend of the shrine, its history may go back as far as 150 years before the Heian era, AC656 (the second year of the reign of Emperor Seimei). Along with the development of the capital, adoration to the shrine spread widely all over Japan. Today, approximately 3,000 satellite shrines exist in various parts of Japan.
The name of the shrine was changed to Yasaka-jinja when shrines and Buddhist temples were separated at the time of the Meiji Restoration. The shrine was originally called the Gion-sha or Kansin-in for a long time.
625 Gion-cho north sides, higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City
Many events are held during the festival. The highlights are Yoi-yama on the 16th and Yamahoko-junko on the 17th.
Also Hanagasa-junko happens on the 24th and ends with the Eki-jinja nagoshi-sai on the 31th.
Omokaru Ishi, heavy or light stones Fushimi inari taisha - Kyoto 京都 コメチャンネル
コメチャンネル UG Tanipy
HEIANJINGU Japan Kyoto 平安神宮 コメチャンネル
GINKAKUJI Japan 銀閣寺 コメチャンネル
Yoi-Yoiyama at Yasaka Shrine, Gion Matsuri!
During the Gion Matsuri (祇園祭り), Yasaka shrine is at the centre of this event. Many events are staged here during the one month Gion matsuri. On Yoi-Yoiyama, there where music performances, in the afternoon. In the evening a special ceremony was held called Yoimiya-sai (宵宮祭), an evening ceremony to transfer the deities of Yasaka shrine from the Honden to the Buden, where the Mikoshi are displayed. This was quite an event, a little before this ceremony started, shrine boys walked across the roped area with big signs saying “NO PHOTOS”. At 8.00 pm all the lights where turned in the shrines precinct and shinto priests carried the deities, under cover of a white sheet to the Mikoshi. All this accompanied by shinto music and a hushed crowd looking on.
Quite a day to say the least, tomorrow is Yoiyama and then on the 17th the Saki matsuri.
Setsubun Gojoten Shrine - Ukera no Shinji 節分 五條天神社 うけらの神事
Setsubun is a Japanese spring ritual that used to be the New Year's Eve of the Chinese calendar where evil spirits are driven away with beans. At Gojoten Shrine in Ueno, an older form of Setsubun takes place with a Hososhi, an exorcist who wears a mask with four golden eyes. He takes on two devils with arrows before a priest gives them a sermon. During this time, an herb ukera (or okera) is burned to dispel evil and illness.
More Setsubun videos:
Iwami Kagura @Yasaka Shrine (16.July.2011,Gion Matsuri) #01
Iwami Kagura on the 16th of July.
This Shio-harai is a dance to cleanse the stage.
First Vist to Shinto Shrine on New Year
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Fireworks 2012 花火2012・夏
Originally used to ward off evil spirits, fireworks (花火, Hanabi) have a long history in Japan and are an integral part of Japanese summers. Hundreds of firework shows are held every year across the country, mainly during the summer holidays in July and August, with some of them drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators. On the other hand, fireworks are not typically used to celebrate New Year.
A secondary attraction of Japanese fireworks is the relaxed festival atmosphere that comes with them, people dressed in yukata and streets lined by food and game stalls. The firework shows themselves typically start some time after sunset and last one to two hours. Many of the longer shows are broken up into multiple shorter segments, interrupted by the announcement of titles and sponsors. They often end with a grand finale consisting of hundreds of shells launched simultaneously.
Popular firework shows tend to be very crowded which leads to a few concerns for visitors:
The competition for good viewing spots can be quite strong, and people often show up and reserve the best spots hours in advance, especially in cities where tall buildings limit the number of spots with unobstructed views of the fireworks. Many shows offer paid seating, but tickets are usually not available on the day and are often difficult to get from outside of Japan or without Japanese language skills.
Nagaoka Fireworks
August 2 and August 3 from 19:30 to 21:30
Along the Shinano River, a 20 minute walk from Nagaoka Station, Niigata Prefecture
The Nagaoka Fireworks are held over two nights in August along the banks of the Shinano River. Both nights feature two straight hours of fireworks including some of the largest shells in Japan such as 90 cm diameter Sanjakudama shells, and the festival's signature Phoenix Shell, which has come to be a symbol of recovery after the 2004 Niigata Earthquake. The show's finale covers nearly two kilometers of the riverbank and is the widest span of fireworks in the world.
There is lots of free seating along the riverbank facing the show, but be sure to arrive early enough to secure seats. Paid seating is also available, and tickets should be purchased in advance. The venue is a 20 minute walk from Nagaoka Station from where there are shinkansen connections to Tokyo and Niigata City, but note that it is difficult to catch the last train back to Tokyo after the end of the show. Consider staying in Nagaoka or Niigata, in which case a travel package including train, hotel and seating may be worth investigating.
The Nagaoka Fireworks are the most spectacular of three outstanding firework shows in Niigata Prefecture. The other two are held in coastal Kashiwazaki and in mountainous Katakai.
Omagari National Fireworks Competition
Fourth Saturday in August from 17:00 to 21:30 (August 25, 2012)
Along the Marukogawa River, a 15 minute walk from Omagari Station, Akita Prefecture
Often considered the top firework show in Japan, the Omagari National Fireworks Competition is a special event to which only the best pyrotechnic teams are invited. Thousands of shells are launched throughout the event as teams compete in both day and night categories. Paid seating is available, as is shinkansen access from both Tokyo and Akita; however there are no connections back to Tokyo after the end of the show and hotels are very difficult to book in Omagari and its surrounding cities. Tour packages may make seeing the show easier.
KATAGAI Fireworks Festival
The 400-year-old fireworks festival is held in early September, including 1.20 m fireworks with 800 m wide explosions, recorded in the Guiness Book of Records as the largest fireworks in the world.[1] The show usually lasting around three hours. The event is sponsored by the local population.