Misa Edito:
Little bonfires, manned by boy-scouts, lined the path to the shrine. It was the spring festival at the politically controversial, Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社). This shrine honors all those who had fought and gave their lives for Japan, and keeping with that tone, this was less of a festival and more of a ceremony. There were no vendors, no festivities… just the barely audible chants of the priests and the few worshippers/spectators. Although I can’t say what the significance of the ritual was, I can say that the sound and cadence of the priests’ wooden clogs on gravel was hypnotizing. (see video)
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