ONBASHIRA
What Is
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Onbashira , meaning " The Honored Pillars ", is a festival held in the city of Suwa , ( Nagano Prefecture ) Japan . The festival happens once every six years with records of the celebration dating back over 1200 years , with strong traditional elements that are still practiced today . The Onbashira festival itself is heavily rooted in tradition , pride and community . The purpose of Onbashira is to celebrate the replacement and erecting , of the great pillars , at the Suwa Taisha shrine . This shrine is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan and is home to the Myoujin Kami , the brave protector of water and wind . Shintoism , meaning " The Way of the Gods ", originated in Japan and is one of the world ' s oldest religions . Shinto shrines are not only places of worship but they are thought to also be the homes of the " Kami " or Shinto