Today we visited the historic Awata Shrine and saw the festival.

Long ago, there were seven entrances to Kyoto, and Awata Shrine was bult in 876 during the Heian period at the entrance called Awataguchi which is one of entrances.

Awata Shrine enshrines Gozu Tenno, the same deity as Susanoo.

Torches are lit on the approach to the shrine, creating a fantastical atmosphere.

The Awata Festival has a history of 1,000 years, and is a prestigious festival that served as a substitute for the Gion Festival during the Muromachi period when it was not possible to hold it due to the Onin War and other events.

Even though it was a festival, the temple grounds were quiet and still that day, and there was a nostalgic, calming, pure atmosphere in the air.

The mikoshi was waiting, but no one was to be seen.

Our friend and parishioner, Ryo, invited us to Chion-in Temple because they were holding Shinto ritual there. We walked about 10minutes from Awata Shrine and arrived in front of Chion-in Temple, where we found a large crowd of people gathered around a large torch.

he monks and Shinto priests gathered together and began praying to each other.

It is a rare sight to see Buddhist chants ring out loudly, monks offering sacred branches, and monks walking behind priests holding sakaki branches.

The Awata Festival’s Night Crossing Ceremony is a festival in which the monks of Chion-in Temple and The priests of Awata Shrine join forces in a syncretic Shinto-Buddhist fusion to worship and give thanks to the Uryu Stone, where Gozu Tennno(The guardian deity of Gion Shoja) is said to have reigned.

It is called the “Reiken Festival”, which means “miracle power”. It refers to the mysterious power, effect, or experience that appears as a result of faith in gods, Buddha’s, bodhisattvas, etc., or reading scriptures.

As the prayers reached its climax, the moonlight felt so strong that I took a photograph of it, and in it’s picture I saw what looked like a large orb photobombing above the tree.

We were convinced that the gods had indeed descended through this ritual.

Afterwards, the parishioners will parade through the town in a procession, with a large torch at the front.

We were completely captivated by this mysterious and strange festival in Kyoto.

Ryo gave us some torch ink, which is a talisman to ensure good health.

Thank you, Ryo, for inviting us！