Tanzan Shrine Kemari Festival
https://ohmatsuri.com/en/articles/nara-tanzan-shrine-kemari-festival
Sitting quietly in the mountains of Nara Prefecture is Tanzan Shrine, the home of this spring/autumn festival. Deep in roots, this festival brings back to life a game called kemari that the royal family members used to play 1,400 years ago.
Tanzan Shrine is where the soul of Fujiwara Kamatari—founder of Japanese politics in the seventh century—is enshrined. Fujiwara was planning a political reform with the emperor of the time, and it was through kemari that the two met.
The game kemari came to Japan through China. The object is to keep a leather ball called mari from touching the ground using only one's feet, like juggling or lifting in Western football/soccer. At this festival, viewers can join in on the fun after viewing the official performers.
Read full story: ohmatsuri.com
Out of all the traditional cultures that have originated in Japan, there is one most tangible cultural experience of power and beauty—that is the matsuri (festival). We believe the matsuri of Japan to be world-class cultural assets of local communities. Through visiting local regions and getting to know the culture first-hand, matsuri are sure to provide a chance for overseas tourists to further their enjoyment of Japan.
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