In Japan, the Gion Matsuri festival brings towering floats to the streets in Shinto religious processions that are rooted in rituals dating back more than 1,000 years and that were intended to ward off epidemics. The monthlong festival in the former imperial city of Kyoto is closely linked to Yasaka Shrine and reflects centuries of interaction between Shinto and Buddhism in Japan. Today, the Shinto festival brings a joyful atmosphere that draws large crowds of tourists to the yearly processions. The festival also bringing local communities together through rituals, float preparations and processions meant to drive away evil spirits.

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