Aioi-no-yashiro, a small shrine on the grounds of Shimogamo Jinja Shrine in Kyoto, is known to have a “god of matchmaking” as its guardian deity. When I visited the place, numerous “ema ...

The deities of Shimogamo Shrine are believed to reside on Mount Hiei and an elaborate procession is enacted on the 12th May to bring the deities from the mountain to the shrine. According to the ...

March 3 was Girl's Day in Japan. At the World Heritage site Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, there was a doll floating event. It is a ceremony to pray to the gods for children's healthy growth and other ...

Though a rare sight these days, it is played at the start of each year at the Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto. Eight people attempt to keep the deerskin ball in the air using only the instep of their ...