On August 6, 2025, the traditional "Nagoshi Ritual" (Summer Survival Ritual) was held at Shimogamo Shrine, a World Heritage Site in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, on the eve of the beginning of autumn. Shirtless men competed to grab igushi (sacred sticks) placed in the shrine's Mitarashi Pond, splashing about, as they prayed for good health.
The ritual is based on the myth that the enshrined deity, Tamayorihime-no-Mikoto, became pregnant after picking up an arrow during a purification ritual in the Kamo River. The igushi is said to bring good fortune and ward off evil. Because the igushi resembles an arrow, it is also known as the "Yaritori Ritual."
At around 7:20 PM, after the rituals at the main shrine and Mitarashi Shrine were finished, about 40 men came running, chanting "Essa, essa," and lined up in front of the pond. At the signal of a wooden clapper, the men all entered the pond and bravely competed for 50 sacred skewers that had been set up in the center. At the same time, the priests threw countless human-shaped dolls, which had carried the impurities of the worshippers, into the pond. As the sun set, the water splashed and the yellow human-shaped dolls danced in the temple grounds, creating a fantastical atmosphere around the area.
