Gion Matsuri
gion festival 祇園祭 gion matsuri one largest famous festival japan taking place annually month july kyoto many event take place central kyoto yasaka shrine festival patron shrine located kyoto famous gion district give festival name formally shinto festival original purpose purification pacification diseasecausing entity many ceremony held festival best known two yamaboko junkō 山鉾巡行 procession float take place july three night leading day procession sequentially called yoiyoiyoiyama 宵々々山 yoiyoiyama 宵々山 yoiyama 宵山 yoiyama evening kyoto downtown area reserved pedestrian traffic traditional private house near float open entryway public exhibiting family heirloom custom known folding screen festival 屏風祭り byōbu matsuri additionally street lined night stall selling food yakitori barbecued chicken skewer taiyaki takoyaki fried octopus ball okonomiyaki traditional japanese sweet many culinary delight gion festival originated epidemic part purification ritual goryoe appease god thought cause fire flood earthquake people suffering plague attributed vengeful spirit emperor seiwa ordered prayer susanoonomikoto god yasaka shrine sixtysix stylized decorated halberd one traditional province japan prepared erected shinsenen garden south imperial palace along mikoshi 御輿 portable shrine yasaka shrine practice repeated wherever outbreak plague occurred year festival became annual event since seldom failed take place civil onin war ashikaga shogunate central kyoto devastated festival halted three decade late th early th century later th century revived shogun oda nobunaga century float destroyed otherwise lost recent year several restored float neighborhood association sometimes purchase antique tapestry replace worn destroyed one commission replica industrial weaver kyoto design commission new one weaver kyoto famous traditional nishijin weaving district use float regalia kept special storehouse throughout central district kyoto yasaka shrine festival serf important setting yasunari kawabatas novel old capital describes gion festival one three great festival old capital along festival age aoi festival following list selected annual event gion festival july – kippuiri opening ceremony festival participating neighborhood july kujitorishiki lottery determine order float parade conducted municipal assembly hall july shrine visit chigo child ayagasaboko july lantern parade welcome mikoshi 御輿 portable shrine july mikoshi arai cleansing mikoshi sacred water kamo river july – building float july shrine visit chigo child naginataboko july pm shrine visit chigo child kuse shrine july yoiyoiyoiyama july yoiyoiyama july yoiyama july yoimiya shinshin hono shinji art performance july parade yamaboko float july parade mikoshi yasaka shrine july – building float july yoiyoiyoiyama july yoiyoiyama july yoiyama july parade yamaboko float july parade hanagasa 花傘 flower parasol july parade mikoshi yasaka shrine july mikoshi arai cleansing mikoshi sacred water kamo river july closing service eki shrine float yoiyama parade divided two group larger hoko halberd smaller yama mountain collectively called yamaboko ten hoko recall halberd spear used original purification ritual yama carry lifesized figure shinto deity buddhist bodhisattva historic cultural figure float decorated diverse tapestry made nishijin kyoto traditional textileweaving district others imported world fact thanks survey gion festival imported textile team international textile conservationist collector unique textile collection renowned amongst textile professional worldwide musician sit float playing drum flute float pulled rope street good luck favor thrown float crowd yamahoko listed important intangible folk cultural property representative list intangible cultural heritage humanity evening july hundred men carry yasaka shrine resident deity around diverse parishioner neighborhood portable mikoshi shrine otabisho temporary dwelling central kyoto believed deity purify neighborhood along way reside otabisho week two float procession th taken back yasaka shrine permanent dwelling way back shrine procession stop shinsenen original site first ritual year former imperial garden year neighborhood association maintain float draw lot early july lottery determines order float appear july procession lot presented special ceremony commence procession mayor kyoto don robe magistrate naginata hoko depicts chigo wearing ceremonial robe wearing golden phoenix chosen sacred page deity among merchant house kyoto several week special ablution ceremony life isolation effect contamination inappropriate food presence woman allowed touch ground placed wagon start yamahoko july chigo cut shimenawa swing sword weight ton height meter wheel diameter attendant – pulling procession usually two men piloting wedge weight – kg height attendant – people pull push carry gion cult gion matsuri procession route archived wayback machine httpsgionfestivalorg