Nagoshi no Harae 2027: 30 June at shrines across Japan, walking through the chinowa ring

Nagoshi no Harae is mostly held at the end of June, especially on 30 June, the midpoint of the year; a matching rite, Toshikoshi no Harae, comes at the end of December.

Times vary by shrine. Some set up the chinowa in mid-to-late June and let people walk through it for the whole period, while the formal purification ceremony is usually held on the afternoon or evening of 30 June. If you are making a special trip, plan around that shrine's schedule for the year.

Nagoshi no Harae is held at shrines across Japan, and many set up a chinowa at the end of June. It is especially common at Kyoto's shrines.

You don't need to travel to a particular shrine. If you are in Japan in late June, look under the torii gate or in front of the hall of worship as you pass a shrine: a grass ring taller than a person is a chinowa.

Walking through the chinowa (chinowa-kuguri) is the heart of the rite. The usual order is left, right, then left again, tracing a figure eight on its side.

Bow lightly in front of the ring, then walk the loops in order. The diagrams on each shrine's signboard can differ slightly, so follow the sign.

Some shrines accept paper figures. At Kamigamo Shrine, for example, you write your name and age on the figure, hold it to the left, right and centre of your chest, breathe on it to pass your impurities into the paper, and hand it in.

Whether a shrine offers figures, where to return them and how much to offer all vary, so follow that shrine's instructions.

Late June falls in the rainy season, so expect humid, wet days. Formal ceremonies are usually on the afternoon or evening of 30 June, and some shrines close the chinowa to walkers while they are under way. Walking through the ring takes a few minutes, with no parade or food stalls, so it fits into a gap in a sightseeing day.

Shrines everywhere hold the rite, so getting there is flexible and you don't need a dedicated route. The easiest approach is to fold it into your June itinerary: sightsee as usual during the day, then stop by a nearby shrine in the evening.

In Kyoto, many shrines in the city set up a chinowa, so you may come across one on a walk.

Your main costs are the transport and accommodation you would have anyway; the offering for a paper figure varies by shrine.

You don't need to stay next to a shrine. Pick a city base that suits your daytime plans and walk over in the evening.

At the end of June, Kyoto's wagashi shops put out minazuki: white uiro topped with a layer of red beans and cut into triangles.

The triangle is said to represent the ice once used to beat the summer heat, and the red beans to ward off evil. Eating minazuki on 30 June is a Kyoto custom.

Etiquette: bow lightly in front of the ring and keep quiet. Don't stop in front of the ring for photos while others wait behind you, and don't pull out any grass.

What to wear: there's no dress code; neat clothes are fine. Late June is already hot and humid, so wear breathable clothes and bring rain gear.

Most chinowa go up in mid-to-late June, and each shrine takes its ring down at a different time. In examples collected by the Mie Prefecture tourism federation, Mie Gokoku Shrine sets up its ring in mid-June and lets anyone walk through until 30 June, while Kuwana Sosha keeps its ring open into early July.

If you miss 30 June itself, a few shrines may still have their ring up.