Originally, the origin of Tanabata is said to be the ancient water god festival, which considered the stars to be water gods. At Kifune Shrine, which enshrines the god of water, Takaokami no Kami, we thanked the blessings of water and performed the water festival of Tanabata Shrine/Kibune to pray for the thoughts contained in the strip. Around 30 bamboo bamboo stands are set up in the precincts, and colorful strips with wishes are displayed. During the same period, night lighting will be carried out, and Tanabata bamboo decorations will be illuminated in the dusk.

On July 7th, we will hold the Tanabata Shinto ritual, Kifune Water Festival, as one of the Gosetsu rituals, “Sasa no sushi. We would like to thank the God of Kibune, who controls water, for the daily blessings of water, and pray for the good weather of the year and the further blessings of water, derived from the mysterious rain beggar ritual that once took place.

[Outline of Kifune Shrine Tanabata bamboo decoration (light up)]

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At the Kifune Shrine, Emperor Jimmu’s mother, Tamayi Himemei, took the “Yellowship” and traced the Yodogawa and Kamogawa rivers from Osaka Bay to the upper reaches of the Kibunegawa river, where the shrine was built and served as a water god. The founding legend is transmitted. It is a shrine with the longest history in Kyoto, where the shrine was already built in 6th year of the Hakuho (6th year) of Emperor Tenmu.

The clear stream, Kifune River, is the source of the Kamo River, and since it sits just north of the Imperial Palace, it has been cherished by successive Imperial courts as a god protecting the water source in Kyoto. This area is also popular as a summer resort, and the scenery of river beds along the Kifune River is also a “summer tradition of Kyoto.”