Mystery-Solving Event at Gion Shrine

On Saturday, February 22, a mystery-solving event took place at Gion Shrine in the Kuraoka district 👏 The event was titled “Gion Shrine Real Mystery: ‘As the Gods Say’” 💡

Local high school students from Gokase Secondary School led the planning, collaborating with local company Gokase Entertainment and the Kuraoka Lovers Women’s Group to prepare the event 😳✨

Participants of all ages gathered, and the shrine grounds rang with lively voices 🤗🎶

The puzzles were quite difficult until a spark of insight or a discovery occurred… I tried hard to solve them but couldn’t in the end 🤣 I had to borrow the children’s wisdom, haha

As we solved the puzzles, we learned the correct way to worship at Gion Shrine 😯💡 I had no idea about those customs, so the many new discoveries were great fun 🤩

After finishing the puzzles, participants faced a two-part showdown with the gods played by Gokase Secondary School students ⚔️

The first part, “Sengoku Gokase Town,” was a game in which players spent their held points to approach the god; the winner was the one who first knocked the bead off the god’s shoulder with a sword 💪

In the second part, the winning prize from part one, a rope, was formed into a circle on the ground as a ring, and contestants challenged the god in a hand-push sumo match 👐

Both games excited adults and children alike, and smiles filled the event from start to finish 😆

After completing all stages, participants received a “Mystery Completion Certificate,” but looking closely revealed the certificates came in different colors…🤔?

It turned out the hand-push sumo in part two mirrored the ceremonial sumo offered to entertain the gods during the Morimaki ritual held at Gion Shrine. Since the tradition holds that “the one who loses to the god is correct,” the completion certificates of those who lost the hand-push sumo gleamed in gold🤣

You could feel the students’ attention to detail throughout the setting, and it was wonderful 🥹✨

At the end, participants and students took a commemorative photo together, and warm tea provided by Yukihoshien was served as a participation prize, bringing the lively, friendly event to a close 😌👏

Seeing Gokase Town come alive through events created by students, local businesses, and community groups working together is truly moving 🥹
We hope the whole town continues to join forces to keep Gokase Town thriving ✨