Prayers for good health made at centuries-old festival in Nara, Japan

Japan medical workers and others gathered at a shrine in Nara Prefecture of western Japan on Thursday, for medical herbs festival to pray for good health. The medical herbs festival has been held at Ohmiwa Shrine in Sakurai City for over 13 centuries in spring as people in ancient times believed diseases spread when cherry blossoms fall.
For the event, pharmaceutical firms nationwide send medicine as offerings for the event, and about 2,500 items including cold and stomach medicine were offered before an altar. At the event, Shinto priests offered medical herbs and prayers, followed by a dance by four maidens. Then, employees of drug makers and medical workers prayed for good health.