Warding Off Epidemics: Heartfelt Prayers for Safety

Overview

With the spread of Covid-19 in 2020, many annual festivals were condensed. But Kitano Goryoe was revived at Kitano Tenmangu after a 550-year hiatus in prayer for an end to the pandemic. The joint Shinto-Buddhist rite was originally held to appease the deity of plagues and honor dignitaries who were tragically killed. From this, Gion Matsuri and other festivals similarly evolved over the centuries. Discover the Kyoto customs to eradicate epidemics through rites, amulets, dolls, and confections.