Wind chimes are a summer tradition in Japan.
Wind chime festivals are held all over Japan.
Hearing cool tones will make you feel relieved from the heat.
Matsuo Taisha Shrine and Heian Shrine in Kyoto are decorated with wind chimes during summer, and many people visit.
We will introduce the wind chime festivals held at each shrine.
Matsunoo Taisha Shrine
Matsunoo Taisha is a famous shrine for the god of sake brewing, and is decorated with wind chimes during summer.
It is said that the tones not only comfort the gods, but also cleanse one’s own sins and impurities.
If you write your wishes on a strip of paper and hang it on a wind chime, the wind from Mt. Matsunoo will carry your prayers to the gods.
The period during which the wind chimes will be displayed is from June 1st to September 1st, 2024.
If you visit Matsunoo Taisha Shrine during this time, you will hear many wind chimes making cool sounds, and you will be able to make a wish while enjoying the pleasant breeze.
Matsunoo Taisha Shrine has also been worshiped by local people as a guardian deity of life since ancient times.
In particular, the enshrined deity, Oyamakui no Kami, is also worshiped as the god of sake brewing, and sake barrels donated by sake brewers from all over Japan are piled up on the grounds.
The water from Kamenoi, located within the shrine grounds, is said to prevent sake from spoiling if used during sake brewing, and is also famous for extending life.
Within the precincts, there are many shrine buildings with motifs of turtles and carp, as well as the main shrine built in the Matsunoo-zukuri style from the early Muromachi period (an important cultural property), the worship hall, the fishing hall, and the tower gate, so there are many things to see.
Information of Matsunoo Taisha Shrine
Location: 3 Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto City
Visiting hours: Weekdays and Saturdays (9:00-16:00),
Sundays and holidays (9:00-16:30)
Admission fee (precincts): Free to visit (Liquor Museum: Free)
Admission fee (garden/statuary): 500 yen for adults, 400 yen for students, 300 yen for children
Access: Hankyu Arashiyama Line Matsunoo Taisha Station
TEL: 075-871-5016
URL：https://www.matsunoo.or.jp
Heian Shrine
The Tanabata Wind Chime Festival will be held at Heian Shrine from June 22nd to August 31st, 2024.
Approximately 1,000 wind chimes are hung in the corridor and shrine garden (Taiheikaku), which are important cultural properties within the temple grounds, and you can enjoy their cool sound.
Visitors are given colorful strips of paper on which you can write your wishes and attach them to the wind chimes.
Information of Heian Shrine
Location: 97 Nishitennocho, Okazaki, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City
Visiting hours: [Precincts] 6:00-17:00
[Gaien] 8:30-16:30
Admission fee: 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for students and children,
(Varies depending on the season)
Access: 10 minutes walk from Subway Tozai Line Higashiyama Station
HP：http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/
Please be sure to visit Matsuo Taisha Shrine and Heian Shrine to enjoy wind chimes, which are a summer tradition.
Please check the latest information on the website before going out.
