京都祇園祭　Gion Festival in Kyoto

日本三代祭の一つ、祇園祭。八坂神社のお祭りで、疫病退散を祈ったことが始まりだそうです。山鉾と言われる山車が町中に並びます。山鉾は伝統ある美術品で飾られています。

Gion Festival, one of the three great festivals in Japan. It originated at Yasaka Shrine and was initially held to pray for the eradication of epidemics.Rows of festival floats known as “Yamahoko” line the streets of the town. These Yamahoko are traditional works of art adorned with decorative elements.

長刀鉾　Naginata hoko

最も特別な山車で、災厄を避けるとされています。コロナ退散にもご利益がありますように。

The most special festival float is believed to ward off disasters.May there be blessings for the eradication of COVID-19 as well.

ここ数年間はコロナで縮小して開催されていたそうですが、今年は完全に復活したそうです。

In the past few years, it has been scaled down and held with limitations due to COVID-19, but this year it has fully recovered.

夕方以降は人が多いですが、早朝に行くと人が少なくてきれいに写真が撮れました。上の写真は、朝6時30分。

There are many people in the evening, but if you go early in the morning, there are fewer people, and you can take beautiful photos. The photo above was taken at 6:30 AM.

祇園祭の中心、八坂神社　The heart of the Gion Festival,Yasaka Shrine

素戔嗚尊（スサノオノミコト）が祀られ、疫病や災いを取り除くご利益があるそうです。

Susanoo no Mikoto（素戔嗚尊） is enshrined, and it is believed to have the power to ward off epidemics and disasters.

6月30日は茅の輪くぐりの日ですが、茅の輪もスサノオノミコトが始めたと言われていますね。茅の輪くぐりも、疫病退散のための行事です。

June 30th is known as the day for Chino-wa Kuguri, the ritual of passing through a straw ring. It is said that Susano-o no Mikoto initiated the practice of the Chino-wa.The ritual of passing through the Chino-wa (straw ring) is also an event for warding off epidemics.

6月は湿気などで疫病が流行りやすく、医学が発達していなかった時代は神様に祈って疫病を退散させていたようです。

June is a time when diseases are prone to spreading due to humidity and other factors. In ancient times, when medical knowledge was limited, it is said that people would pray to the gods to ward off and dispel diseases.

茅の輪　くぐると病気にならないと言われています。

It is said that passing through the Chino-wa (straw ring) can protect one from falling ill.

コメントありがとうございました。うれしかったのでいい記事を書けるよう努力します。

Thank you for comment. I was happy, so I will make effort to write good articles.