Kyoto Festival: Celebration for Oda Nobunaga (Funaoka Taisai)

Funaoka Taisai is the annual festival for Kenkun Shrine where famous warlord Oda Nobunaga is enshrined. Accompanied by ancient court music, the priests present offerings of food and drink before the altar. As everyone shows their respect, the head priest reads aloud prayers in the inner shrine. Part of the play Atsumori, said to be a favorite of Nobunaga, was performed as a ritual offering by the Kongo school of noh. A bugaku (traditional court dance) called Konju was then performed. Honored guests took turns presenting sacred tamagushi before the shrine. To conclude the ritual, falconers of the Suwa style demonstrated hawking techniques, a sport once enjoyed by Nobunaga. For details and more on this event, check out our website: