On June 25, 2026, the "Passing Through the Great *Chinowa*" (a large ring made of cogon grass) ritual began at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, as a prayer for good health and freedom from illness ahead of the full arrival of summer. Despite the rain, many worshippers visited from the morning to pass through the five-meter-diameter ring suspended at the shrine's Romon Gate.
Passing through the *chinowa* is part of the "Nagoshi no Harae" (Summer Purification) ritual, intended to cleanse the impurities accumulated during the first half of the year and pray for a safe passage through the hot summer months. It is a well-known seasonal tradition; at Kitano Tenmangu, the ring is installed to coincide with June 25, the birthday of the shrine's enshrined deity, Sugawara no Michizane.
The large *chinowa* was handcrafted by shrine priests, who wrapped cogon grass—sourced from the Miyama area of Nantan City and the Keihoku region of Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City—around a frame made of green bamboo. Touted as one of the largest in Kyoto, the ring reportedly required a team of twenty people to install.
Fumiko Abe (78 years old), who visited the shrine with her daughter from Hiroshima City, said, "I passed through the *chinowa* praying that I would stay healthy and keep my legs and back strong."
The *chinowa* will remain in place until June 30. The "Nagoshi no O-harae" (Great Summer Purification) ritual is scheduled to take place at 4:00 p.m. on June 30.
