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