Description of the attraction
The Gion Matsuri festival, one of the oldest in Japan, brought fame to the Yasaka Shrine. The festival, which is being prepared for a whole month, is held in July. On its day, a large procession of chariots and palanquins moves through the city. Those sitting in them throw bunches of straw wrapped in bamboo leaves to the audience, which symbolize the wishes of health for the whole year.
This festival dates back to 869, when mikoshi - portable idols were exhibited on the streets of Kyoto by order of the emperor. And in front of the entrance to the temple, which was then called Gionsha, 66 halberds were displayed according to the number of Japanese provinces. All this was supposed to save the inhabitants of the capital and all of Japan from the plague epidemic. Surprisingly, these measures worked and the plague receded. As a token of gratitude, residents took to the streets. The Gion Matsuri Festival served as a prototype for the holidays held in other settlements, and in some places even retained its name.
Yasaka Shrine is also known as Yasaka-jinja and Gion Shrine. Gion, the temple area in Kyoto, has a reputation as an entertainment district since the 15th century, with teahouses and kabuki theaters, as well as restaurants where you can dine with geisha. Not far from the temple is the Maruyama Park.
The construction of the temple was begun in 656 in honor of the Buddhist saint Gozu Tenno, and at the end of the 10th century, Emperor Ichijou added the shrine to the list of the most important idols, in which there were only about two dozen of them by that time.
The main building of the temple was erected in the traditional architectural style of Gion in 1654. The temple received its official name in 1868. The temple complex includes several buildings, a gate, a main hall and a stage for performances and rituals. In the evening and at night, the temple is illuminated by many lanterns, on which the names of the donors who support the sanctuary are usually placed. Locals believe that prayers at Yasaka Shrine bring happiness and help cure disease.
