Ujiko literally means worshippers of a guardian deity of a particular area, called “ujigami.” Ageuma Shinji, a Shinto ritual, is held at the shrine on May 4 and 5 every year. Horses carrying ...

In Shinto, the water deity appears in various guises at shrines. In Buddhism, dragons ward off fires, bring the virtuous rain of Dharma, and often adorn the ceilings of lecture halls at Zen temples.

Horses take center stage in the ancient capital's events, such as two May festivals—Aoi Matsuri boasting ornate historical attire and the 1,200-year-old Fujinomori-sai. A trick called Under the ...

Perched on a wooded hillside in southern Kyoto, Fushimi Inari is a 1,300-year-old temple dedicated to Inari, the Shinto deity of rice and sake (Japanese rice wine). The shrine complex dates back ...

Not only are women able to take practical roles within the rituals of the religion, but the chief deity within Shinto is female. She contrasts this with beliefs about the role of women in China ...

Perched on a wooded hillside in southern Kyoto, Fushimi Inari is a 1,300-year-old temple dedicated to Inari, the Shinto deity of rice and sake (Japanese rice wine). The shrine complex dates back ...