Gion Matsuri
The Gion Matsuri in Kyoto is one of the three greatest local festivals in Japan. This is the festival of Yasaka-jinja Shrine that is located in the easten of Kyoto. The Gion Matsuri continues throughout the month of July and consists of various rituals and events.
It was said to have been started in 869 when the city was ravaged by a series of plagues. The portable shrine, Mikoshi, was sent to Shinsen-en Garden from Yasaka-jinja and sixty-six halberds, one for each of the provinces in the country, were erected there to hold a prayer ritual for expelling the plague. At first it was held irregularly when a plague was spread, and it was decreed the annual festival in 970.
It rained heavily on the day of Yamahoko Junko in 2006.
It was interrupted during the Onin War（1467−1477), however, the festival was restored by the townspeople in 1500.
The festival began taking on its present form from the 16th century, when trade expanded and the townspeople prospered. The floats are embellished with marvelous handcrafted decoration and luxurious tapestries imported from the ancient China, Persia, Belgium and other countries. The highlight of the festival is the parade of 32 floats on July 17th and it attracts numerous visitors. The tradition of the festival has been maintained by the townspeople to the present time.
Tsuki hoko
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They started to set up Tsuki Boko from 8 a.m. on the 10th.
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Tsuki hoko at Yoiyama
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The floats displayed in the town are lit up with dozens of festival lanterns and Gion-bayashi music is played on the nights of the 14th to 16th. Large sections of downtown are closed to automobile traffic for several nights preceding July 17th.
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Index Page
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Yamahoko-Tate(The floats construction)
The floats (Yama and Hoko) are set up on July 10th to 14th. No nails are used.
Yamahoko Junko (The floats procession)
32 floats parade starts at 9 a.m. on the 17th around Shijo-Karasuma. The floats are drawn through the streets by the people living the ward which each float belongs and volunteers. The highlight of the parade is Tsuji-mawashi, turning to the intersection of Shijo-Kawaramachi.
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Setting up Kikusui hoko with ropes.
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