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← Things to Do in Kyoto

Yatori Shinji Festival 2026

Shimogamo Shrine — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and venue for the Yatori Shinji festival, Kyoto
Aug62026
Events

60 men rush into a sacred pond at Shimogamo Shrine to grab arrow talismans for good health — pure Kyoto chaos.

In a nutshell

What is it?
60 men scramble into Shimogamo Shrine's Mitarashi Pond for 50 sacred arrow talismans — a wild Shinto ritual for health and protection.
Why go?
There is nothing else like this in Kyoto — raw, ancient, chaotic, and completely free to watch.
Perfect for
Photographers, culture enthusiasts, anyone who wants to see something completely different
Time needed
Aug 6, ceremony 18:30, arrow grab ~19:00

One of Kyoto’s wildest summer traditions: 60 men charge into the sacred Mitarashi Pond at Shimogamo Shrine to grab one of only 50 floating arrow-shaped talismans — each promising health and protection from illness for the coming year.

The Shinto purification ceremony begins at 6:30 PM in the shrine’s main hall. At 7:00 PM, the real chaos starts as men splash and scramble into the pond. Only the fastest fifty secure their luck; the remaining ten go home empty-handed but earn respect for taking part in warding off evil.

Shimogamo Shrine — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Japan’s oldest shrines — sits within the serene Tadasu no Mori forest. Arrive early to explore the grounds before the action starts.

Photos: Wikimedia contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0