@camelliakyoto@mastodon.social
2026-07-07 06:31 UTC
We translate 'hoko' (鉾) as halberd, but it could in fact be any pointed stick.
From ancient times people believed evil spirits could be caught in such a stick, and disposed of by simply floating the stick away on a river or out to sea.
#GionMatsuri #祇園祭
Replies (1)
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@camelliakyoto@mastodon.social 2026-07-08 00:21
Urabe-no-Hiramaro commanded the plague god, later identified as Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王 - in his Shintō form known as Susanoo 須佐之男), be brought from Kanshin-in (感神院) to Shinsen-en as the focus of worship. They asked the god to end the epidemic ravaging the country. #牛頭天王 #須佐之男