It's the beginning and end of the Summer Festival "natsu matsuri" (夏祭り) here in #Honjo! These are always so much fun to experience. The portable shrines, or "mikoshi" (神輿), that they are carrying, is rooted in Shinto beliefs, where it is believed that by parading the mikoshi through the streets, the deity inside bestows blessings upon the community and purifies the area. #Japan #japantravel #summer #summerfestival #hot #mikoshi #natsumatsuri #夏祭り #神輿 #暑い