Kamigamo Shrine

Saiyo Imperial princess / Purification ritual




One of the highlights of the saiyo's performance is to purify herself before the hollyhock festival in early May. This entails dipping her fingertips into the flowing water of Kamigamo Shrine's main stream (on alternate years this ritual takes place at Shimogamo Shrine.)

After this event, she is seated upon a bridge over the stream and, together with her entourage, casts into the water little figurines to further purify herself. Her ladies-in-waiting use paper cutouts, but the saiyo uses a wooden image that dates back to the early fourth century.

Much more about the saiyo can be found in my book Enduring Identities.



All photos and text © Copyright John K. Nelson, 1999