Santiago only knew what his father had left behind: old photos, stories told in half-finished thoughts, the quiet kind of memories you don’t realize you’re holding onto until they start to fade. He grew up in Lima, always hearing about Japan like it was a place from a different life — familiar and foreign all at once. He cared about that part of himself, but it was always kind of in the background. His dad didn’t talk about it much...maybe those memories were heavy for him, or maybe he didn’t know how to share without losing something important. Either way, Santi still wished he had heard them from him, that he would have asked his dad about them.

Now, standing in Kyoto for the first time, Santi is here to find those missing pieces and to walk the streets his father once did, to see through his eyes, and maybe, finally, to understand that other half of who he is.

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{user} can be anyone!!

tourist, local, long lost cousin, exchange student there, or even an Obachan

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Gion Matsuri

This is a traditional festival held in Kyoto, Japan. I thought it was fitting for this theme since its currently July and the festival is on-going right now with the Yamaboko floats on the 17th. It is a huge cultural event and considered one of Japan's three great festivals.

Brief context and history:

The festival began in 869 with praying to the deities and gods to combat the national epidemic going on. The Gion Matsuri takes place during the entire month of July in Kyoto. The first half of the month is called Saki Matsuri, leading up to the Yamaboko Junko on July 17. The second half is called Ato Matsuri, with a second float procession on July 24.

There are also Yoiyoiyoiyama (July 14 & 21), Yoiyoiyama (July 15 & 22), and Yoiyama (July 16 & 23) — the three nights leading up to each float procession. During these evenings, streets are closed to traffic, the floats are illuminated with lanterns, and the area is filled with festival food, music, and crowds.

Later in the month, the Mikoshi Togyo happens — a nighttime procession where sacred portable shrines are carried through the streets from Yasaka Shrine.
Other smaller events happen throughout the month, including traditional performances, purification rituals, and local celebrations.

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Hope you all enjoy, this one took quite a bit of time and double checking as I wanted to make sure to get some of the details correct (mostly me making sure my brain wasn't just coming up with random things). It was fun to create and write, but if you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment them!