Hello flower lovers, Half of the year has quietly slipped by. In Kyoto, July often begins with two gentle reminders: to let go of what has gathered behind us, and to place a wish toward what comes next. The other day, on our way home from my daughter's school, we came across a huge grass ring being prepared at Shiramine Shrine. Shrine workers were weaving a _chinowa_ , a large ring made from sacred grass. During the summer purification ritual, people walk through the chinowa to pray for good health and good fortune for the remaining six months of the year. I love this tradition because it asks us to pause, reflect on the past six months, and step into the second half of the year with renewed hope. Then, on July 7, Japan celebrates Tanabata, the Star Festival. People write wishes on colorful strips of paper and hang them on bamboo branches. Before making a wish, there is also a quiet feeling of release. Summer begins with hopes for the future and a small act of renewal. ## What Is Tanabata? Tanabata, or the Star Festival, is celebrated in many parts of Japan on **July 7** , though some regions observe it later in summer. It is based on an ancient legend about two lovers, **Orihime** , the weaving princess, and **Hikoboshi** , the cowherd. Separated by the Milky Way, they are allowed to meet just once a year. Wishes written on tanzaku and hung on bamboo for Tanabata. To celebarate, people write their wishes on colorful paper strips called _tanzaku_ and hang them from bamboo branches. Streets, temples, and shrines are decorated with bamboo ornaments, creating one of Japan's most beautiful summer traditions. More than simply making wishes, Tanabata gently reminds us to keep believing in our dreams, no matter how far away they may seem. ## Shiramine Shrine and Komachi Odori At Shiramine Shrine in Kyoto, Tanabata is marked on July 7 with shrine rites, kemari (a ball game), and the graceful **Komachi Odori** dance, performed by local girls. After visiting Shiramine Shrine, we stopped for sweets at Tsuruya Yoshinobu Cafe. The dance is said to have roots in _Kikkoden_ , an imperial court ceremony for praying for skill in the arts. Having once faded away after the Meiji move of the capital to Tokyo, the dance was revived at Shiramine Shrine in 1962 and is now a summer tradition in the neighborhood. ## Summer in Kyoto As July approaches, excitement fills the city as everyone prepares for Kyoto's most famous celebration: the **Gion Festival**. Each neighborhood and shrine has its own traditions, decorations, and events, making this one of the most exciting times to experience Kyoto. Summer in Kyoto is famously hot and humid, but the city's devotion to its festivals feels stronger than the weather. If you visit Kyoto in July, you will feel the energy, history, and community that make this season unforgettable. Asian lizard's tail, or hangesho, is one of the plants of early summer. ## A Small Wish for the Season In ikebana, we practice noticing what is already in front of us: the curve of a stem, the space around a leaf, the feeling of the season. Tanabata carries a similar lesson. Before we ask for something new, we make room for it. If you are visiting Kyoto this summer and would like to slow down with flowers, our Kyoto ikebana workshop is a quiet hands-on way to meet the season. What wish would you tie to bamboo for the second half of the year? Thank you for reading, Ryoko

茅の輪のお守りとは何か、蘇民将来のお札と小さな茅の輪守りの意味から、種類と授かり方、神社の茅を勝手に抜いてよいか、飾り方と置き場所、いつまで置いてどう処分するかまでを、神社に行けない人にもやさしく解説します。半年の節目に自分を労わる小さな結び目との付き合い方と、古いお守りの返し方、今日からできる一歩までわかります。

六月の終わり、夏越の祓で行われる茅の輪くぐりのご利益とは何かを、無病息災や厄除けの由来からやさしく解説します。蘇民将来の物語や、千歳の命のぶという和歌に込められた意味、ご利益を急がないほうがいい理由まで。半年の自分をいったん区切って、また歩き出すための静かな祓いとして、神社に行ける人にも行けない人にもそっと寄り添います。

YouTube video by All Things Japan

YouTube video by All Things Japan

A CHINOWA ring at the Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo (June) The straw ring set up at the Kabasan Shrine on Mt. Kaba for the performance of the WAKUGURI (or CHINOWA KUGURI) purification rite…

Ritual de purificación cruzando el "chinowa" para recibir al verano en santuarios como Fushimi Inari, Kifune, Kitano Tenmangu y Heian Jingu.