The Cherry Blossom Festival, held annually during the first week of April, took place at Kyoto’s Wakouji Shrine on April 5, and we paid a visit.  The shrine is located at the southern end of the Philosopher’s Path. Though the Philosopher’s Path—beautiful with its cherry blossoms just beginning to fall—was muddy from the heavy rain the day before, it was enveloped in very crisp air.

Nyakuouji Shrine was founded in 1160 by Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who enshrined the deity of Kumano Gongen from Kishu as the guardian deity of a temple called Zenrin-ji. It is said that he searched for a location in Kyoto that matched the conditions of the sacred site in Kumano and chose this spot; The waterfall behind the shrine is Nachi Falls.　It is said that Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who made the pilgrimage to Kumano 34 times, would purify himself at this site before setting out. Furthermore, the chief priest is a descendant of Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

As we prepared for the dedicating ceremony at the Kumano Sanzan on June 7, Nyakuouji Shrine felt a deep connection, as if we had been summoned by Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

The origins of today’s Sakura Festival date back to the Muromachi period, when Ashikaga Yoshimasa held a cherry blossom viewing banquet on the shrine grounds. Today, the chief priest and the priests will reenact that ritual. Pink cherry blossoms can be seen on the hill behind the shrine.

Just as the ritual began, the sky cleared to a brilliant blue, and at the same moment, a crow flew right over our head.

Once the Shinto rituals had concluded and the ceremonial conch shell and taiko drum performances began, the sacred sounds echoed throughout the Higashiyama mountain range.

The cherry blossoms by the shrine exit were still beautiful even as they began to fall, and we took a commemorative photo on the carpet of petals. It was a refreshing start to the morning, leaving us feeling purified.