🥒THE MONTH WITHOUT CUCUMBERS🚫
The crest of Yasaka-jinja (八坂神社), home to the Gion Matsuri, resembles the cross-section of a cucumber, and thus the fruit has gained sacred status during the festival.
One of the strangest customs in Kyōto is the giving up of cucumbers for July!
The Gion Matsuri is Yasaka-jinja's primary festival, culminating with a procession of the shrine's deities through the heart of the city.
To be seen devouring cucumbers was considered disrespectful, openly inviting the displeasure of the god Susanoo (須佐之男/aka Gozu Tennō 牛頭天王).
#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #GionFestival #祇園祭 #Yasakajinja #YasakaShrine #八坂神社
There is no clear indication that Yasaka-jinja's crest is related to the humble cucumber, but astonishingly everyone involved in the Gion Matsuri continues to uphold the no cucumber rule in July🥒😵
For spectators, chilled cucumbers on sticks have become a popular festival food.
One creature that would be very pleased to gobble up any of your unwanted cucumbers is the kappa (河童).
You can read all about this cucumber-loving, river-dwelling yōkai here🥒⬇️
https://x.com/camelliakyoto/status/1490474947184979969
🌊🤼THE KAPPA (河童)🥒🙇♂️ cool moon bubbles on the water surface the fart of a water goblin 月涼し水面ぷくっと河童の屁 -Issa (小林一茶). Some of my favourite sweets, obis and charms of the past year have featured kappa, so I thought I'd talk about these impish creatures today🙇♂️
The 'goka-ni-karahana mon' (五瓜に唐花紋) is said to represent a flowering quince.
Although primarily used by the Oda clan, there is no clear connection between the Oda and Yasaka-jinja, though it is recorded the Oda Nobunaga (織田信長) attended the Gion Matsuri in 1578.
Yasaka-jinja's crests are a popular motif for many sweets at this time of year...
🏮Kagizen's (鍵善) 'Gion-mamori' (祇園まもり)
🏮Kamesuehiro's (亀末廣) fan-shaped dried sweets
🏮'Kagijin's (かぎ甚) 'hoko-mochi' (鉾餅)
🏮Oimatsu's (老松) 'Gion goryō-e' (祇園御霊会)
Camellia Tea Ceremony