| DATE: | June 25, 2007 | |||
| PLACE: | Bakuro-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto | |||
| DIRECTION: | City Bus #8, #10, #50, #51, #55, #101, #102, or #203 to Kitano Temmangu-mae |
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| TEL: | 81-75-461-0005 (Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Office) | |||
| ADMISSION: | Free | |||
| TEXT: | Gotanshin-sai commemorates the birth of Kitano Tenmangu’s deity, Sugawara-no-Michizane, who was born on June 25. The ceremony, which begins at 9:00, is performed in the main hall by priests who have been confined in the shrine since the night before in order to purify themselves. This day is also known as Nagoshi Tenjin or O-chinowa Kuguri. An o-chinowa (an enormous ring of reeds) is placed at the two-story gate for people to walk through. It is said that those who walk through the ring are protected against illness throughout the year, and especially during summer. (Chinowa-kuguri will also take place on June 30, as at other shrines).Small chinowa of 7-8cm in diameter are distributed to visitors to ward off evil and illness on this day. Recently, chinowa is interpreted as a ring of chi (wisdom) and many people come to the festival to receive the blessing of Michizane, the god of scholarship.
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