#mitarashimatsuri — Public Fediverse posts

Lighting a votive candle at Shimogamo-jinja's Mitarashi Festival.

#Kyoto #Japan #MitarashiMatsuri #みたらし祭り #Shimogamojinja #下鴨神社 #summerfestival

my new summer robe
splashed by hot
purification water
更衣ふりかけらるる湯花哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1795.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.

#Kyoto #Japan #MitarashiMatsuri #みたらし祭り #Shimogamojinja #下鴨神社 #summerfestival

18 days before the first day of autumn (丑の日 'the day of the ox') people come to cleanse their feet (and hands).
The 'ashitsuke shinji' ritual (足付け神事) is said to guard against chilblains and beriberi.

It's likely that Konoshima-jinja's mitarashi festival is the city's oldest.

#Kyoto #Japan #MitarashiMatsuri #みたらし祭り #Shimogamojinja #下鴨神社 #summerfestival #Konoshimajinja #

Mitarashi festivals (御手洗祭), when the faithful wade through purifying waters, were once popular throughout Japan, but only three now remain in Kyōto.
The most famous is held at Shimogamo-jinja, the other two at Konoshima-jinja (the 'Silkworm Shrine') and Kitano Tenmangū.

my new summer robe
splashed by hot
purification water
更衣ふりかけらるる湯花哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1795.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.

#Kyoto #Japan #MitarashiMatsuri #みたらし祭り #Shimogamojinja #下鴨神社 #summerfestival

The pond belongs to Inoue-sha (井上社 'Shrine over the Well'), enshrining the god of purification 'Seoritsu-hime' (瀬織津姫命).
After wading, people partake of the spring water as it is believed to guard against sickness🥤🙏

The festival first began in the Edo period.

#御手洗祭 #Mitarashimatsuri #Shimogamojinja #下鴨神社 #Kyoto #京都 #Japan

💦MITARASHI MATSURI👣

From July 19th-28th Shimogamo-jinja will be hosting the Mitarashi Matsuri (御手洗祭).

Over 10 days thousands will wade into the ice-cold waters of Mitarashi Pond (御手洗池) to offer candles, rid themselves of impurities and recharge their spirits.

#Kyoto #京都 #festival #Shimogamojinja #下鴨神社 #御手洗祭 #Mitarashimatsuri