Faith as Authenticity

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the cancellation of public events throughout Japan. Kyoto's Gion Festival was no exception. In an attempt to preserve what they regarded as the festival's "true meaning; different groups of actors involved in the Gion Festival came up with alternative ways of bringing the gods to the city. In this article, I trace the tensions that surfaced during the process of composing an alternative festival format. I also analyze media narratives that ex post presented the modified 2020 Gion Festival as a sincere expression of faith and prayer and as uniquely authentic to its "true meaning:' The alternative festival offers a striking example of ways that authenticity can be successfully constructed and projected in a time of crisis that challenges or otherwise alters the continuity of established practices and traditions.