The Zuiki Festival (Zuiki Matsuri) of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is an autumn harvest festival held annually in October at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto. The festival originated as a way to express gratitude for the harvest of crops and is especially focused on prayers for a bountiful harvest of the five main grains.
The Zuiki Mikoshi is the central feature of the Zuiki Festival at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. It is a special portable shrine (mikoshi) entirely decorated with vegetables and grains. The decorations, including “zuiki” (the stem of the taro plant), rice, adzuki beans, chili peppers, pumpkins, and other crops from that year’s harvest, symbolize gratitude for nature’s blessings.
The Otabisho is a temporary resting place for the deity during Shinto festivals. It serves as a location where the deity connects directly with the local community during the festival.
At Japanese shrine festivals, yatai (food stalls) are an essential and vibrant part of the experience. These stalls are set up along the paths leading to the shrine and sell a wide variety of traditional street foods. The atmosphere around yatai is lively and casual, making it a fun way for visitors to enjoy delicious food while soaking in the festive mood.
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