On August 22 and 23, many people take a tour of visiting six temples called Rokujizo Meguri (六地蔵巡り), a traditional event in Kyoto whose origin date back to the Heian period.

When an epidemic was rampant in the latter Heian (平安) period, the monk-emperor Goshirakawa (後白河法皇) ordered Taira-no-Kiyomori (平清盛) to establish six figures of Jizo (地蔵, the Guardian Deity of Travelers and Children) at each entrance of the six main streets in Kyoto in order to ward off epidemic .

Despite the humid and hot summer weather, many Kyoto residents eagerly pay their visits. I myself also paid a visit to the temples to pray for my health, and received six pieces of ”Ohata (お幡, talisman),” provided by each temple. It is said that Otaha will protect you for one year if you hang it at the entrance of your house.

Six temples to visit:

Daizenji (大善寺) Temple “Fushimi Rokujizo (伏見六地蔵)”

Jozenji (浄禅寺) Temple “Toba Jizo (鳥羽地蔵)”

Jizoji (鳥羽地蔵) Temple “Katsura Jizo (桂地蔵)”

Genkoji (源光寺) Temple “Tokiwa Jizo (常盤地蔵)”

Tokurinan (徳林庵) Temple “Yamashina Jizo (山科地蔵)” Jozenji Temple (上善寺) “Kuramaguchi Jizo (鞍馬口地蔵)”