Since ancient times, Shinto rituals have been held at sacred sites across Japan, bringing people together and creating bonds between the participants through their shared faith. Many of those rituals are held in the autumn. Moreover, the 10th month of the lunar calendar (November in the Gregorian calendar) is a time when the many deities of Japan are said to gather for their annual conference. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, we take a deeper look at the diverse and vibrant rituals of Shinto, meet some of the people who take part in them, and discover the deep bonds that link those participants.