The Tanabata Wind Chime Festival is being held at Heian Shrine in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. A total of about 1,000 wind chimes are hung from the vermilion-painted corridors (an Important Cultural Property) and the ceiling of Taiheikaku in the shrine gardens, ringing out soft sounds and providing a sense of coolness to worshippers.
The festival has been held for the past two years in an effort to ward off the evil spirits of COVID-19 with the wind chimes' power to ward off evil.
The corridors are decorated with glass wind chimes with designs of morning glories, fireworks, and dolphins, as well as ceramic wind chimes in the shapes of dogs, cats, and pandas, allowing visitors to take commemorative photos.
The festival runs until August 31. An admission fee of 600 yen is required to visit the shrine gardens.
