Gion Matsuri

Gion Matsuri is one of the popular festivals of Japan; infact it is one of the three major festivals of Japan. The festival originated in 9th century in Kyoto, when the city was ravaged by a terrible plague. In order to placate the ShntoGods, one priest, Yasaka, who was also known as Gion, lead the residents of the city in a procession through the city of Kyoto. The procession reaped benefits and the soon after the parade the havoc of plague came to an end. Later on the procession became an annual event and the festival has been able to sustain its popularity even now. It is celebrated for almost the entire month of July and the main event is held on the 17th July

The festival is also known as “Gion-san” and the venue of the festival is the Yasaka-jinja Shrine. During the festival, a procession of 30 floats known as yamaboko, proceed through the major avenues of Kyoto on the 17th of July. There are two kinds of floats that are used in the parade, the Hoko and the Yama. These floats are a treat to watch and each of the 30 floats boast of two storeys and 6 meters tall. All the floats are embellished with enthralling craftwork, which includes woven fabric, dyed textiles and sculptures. Because of the lavish nature of these floats, they are often referred to as 'mobile art museums’. The floats also feature children, wearing colorful costumes and musicians playing variety of musical instruments like flute, drums and bells. The children and the musicians are placed on the second level of the floats. All the floats are decorated with dozens of lights and one can hear in almost all the parts of the city, the festive music known as Gion-bayashi.

The local residents of the city visit the floats and buy omamori, which considered to be the harbinger of good luck. These omamoris are made from sasa, a kind of bamboo grass that is used to ward off evil. During the Yoiyama days, the residents of Kyoto open their house to the public thus making it a rare opportunity for the tourists to have a first hand experience of traditional Japanese residences of Kyoto. This custom is known as the Byobu Matsuri or the 'Folding Screen Festival’.

If you want to witness this grand event from close quarters, then do not worry as there are special seating arrangements for the visitors. These seats can be booked from the Kyoto City Tourist Association and it is advisable for you to book for the seats in advance as the tickets for the seats are in heavy demand.

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