Synopsis

In the summer of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, the thousand-year-old Gion Festival, traditionally held around Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto Prefecture, faced the prospect of cancellation. But Kitamura Norio, a dedicated worshipper and owner of a nearby sushi restaurant, advocated for a partial continuation, arguing that in times of crisis, people find solace in their faith. With the community confined by stay-at-home orders, the shrine and its local devotees revived a contingency pl