Before the Aoi Festival (May 15th), the Shinto ritual "Mikage Matsuri" was held on May 12th, 2023 to welcome the newly born spirits to Shimogamo Shrine (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City). In the forest of Tadasu, a Shinto ritual was held in the sunlight filtering through the trees, and the dance "Azuma Asobi" was performed for the first time in four years.
Around noon, at Mikage Shrine in Kamitakano in the same ward, a solemn ceremony was held to transfer the new divine spirit "Aramitama" to the divine spirit chest. The Shinto priests, after visiting other shrines, transferred the divine spirits onto the sacred horses, and a procession of about 260 people headed for Shimogamo Shrine.
Around 4:30 pm, we arrived at Tadasu no Mori, and the Kirishiba ritual began. Amidst the sounds of Gagaku, worshipers watched as six dancers gracefully danced "Toyu" in front of horses. The carried divine spirit unites with the enshrined deity of Shimogamo Shrine and welcomes the day of the Aoi Festival.
The Mikage Matsuri procession and the Kirishiba Shinji ritual were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the novel coronavirus, and last year was canceled due to rain.
