July 10 / The month of Kyoto Gion Matsuri
July is the month of one of the largest and most historical festivals of Japan: "Gion Matsuri 祇園祭 (Gion Festival)". Literally from the 1st of July until the end of the month, traditional rituals and events belonging to this massive 1,100 years-old festival are held almost every day in Kyoto.
The Gion Matsuri is a big annual festival dedicated to the deity of Yasaka Shrine. Throughout its history, Kyoto has suffered many times from all kinds of bad omens including epidemics, floods, fires, and earthquakes. To keep the bad omens away and the good spirits strong and content, special protective or goryo-e (御霊会=A festival for appeasing the dead spirits) festivals have been held in Kyoto since ancient times.
The origin of the festival dates back to 869, the early Heian period (794-1185) as one of Japan's oldest goryo-e festival to stop a series of devastating plagues. In desperation, the reigning emperor decreed that special prayers would be said at Yasaka Shrine(八坂神社), one of Kyoto's oldest and most important shrines. The festival became a yearly event starting around 970 and, except for brief interruptions, it has continued ever since.
Though the festival began as a religious purification ritual, by the end of the Kamakura period (1185-1333) it had also become a way for craft guilds and merchant f a m i l i e s to compete in showing off their wealth and taste. Large floats, musicians, dances, comic plays, and artistic treasures were all part of the celebrations at the close of the 10th century.
As the floats became increasingly elaborate and heavy, large wheels were added so that the floats could be rolled. In the 14th century, the floats acquired a second story for musicians and page boys. From the late 16th century onwards, as a result of the growing prosperity of Kyoto's merchants, artworks from China, Persia, and even Europe found their way along the Silk Road to the capital.
2014 marked a historical moment for the festival, when the Gion Festival returned back to its original form. The commonly known united-procession was separated into the Saki Matsuri (former festival) and the Ato Matsuri (latter festival). This year 2017 will be the 4th year to witness the revived Ato Matsuri starting from July 24.
The Saki Matsuri (July 17) parade is gorgeous and boisterous with many floats (23 floats) as usual. In contrast, the revived Ato Matsuri (July 24) is held in a much quieter atmosphere (less onlookers) with less floats (10 floats) as there will be no stalls, nor extra goodies, etc. For tourists who can stay bit longer, you may have a great chance to see the contrast of both the gorgeous and fun Saki Matsuri along with the solemn and beautiful Ato Matsuri .
The Yama and Hoko Floats :
There are two kinds of floats: "Yama=山" and "Hoko=鉾". There are total 33 floats in the procession: 23 are Yama and 10 are Hoko floats. Yama are smaller floats (weighting from 1.5 tons, up to about 6 meters high) and carried by people on their shoulders. The Yama floats depict scenes from Chinese and Japanese history and mythology and often bear pine trees, shrines, and mannequins.
( LEFT is "Hoko" and RIGHT is "Yama" )
Hoko are massive, many of them are 2-storied floats (weight about 5-12 tons, about 25 meters high) on large wooden wheels and pulled by people. Unlike the yama, the roofed hoko have long, mast-like poles ending in an identifying ornament. One float requires at least 12 or 13 people and large ones have up to 50 people, and still, it is very tough and tiring work to pull such massive floats through the city, without a break, under the severer summer sun.
For tourists and citizens alike a big part of the Gion Festival is still connected with the elaborate floats that have made this festival so famous. In the 15th century, when Kyoto's kimono merchants' fortunes grew, they began to compete against each other to see who could build the biggest and most beautiful floats.
During the Edo period (1600 -1868) and early Meiji period (1868 -1912), the floats and the city of Kyoto were badly damaged by war fire on several occasions. However, each time the citizens worked hard to rebuild everything and the festival continued to grow in popularity and fame. For this reason the floats are also called ''moving museums''.
10th -1４th : Hoko and Yama Construction
The preceding festival's 23 floats are assembled in the communities they belong to. This is a great opportunity for getting a close up look at the floats.
12th -14th : Hoko and Yama Trial Pulling
The people of each respective float community try carrying or pulling the newly constructed floats, accompanied by Gionbayashi music, to ensure that they are ready for the parade on the 17th.
17th : Yama Hoko Grand Parade (Saki-matsuri)
At 9:00, the leading Naginata-hoko starts forward. When it reaches Fuyacho Street, the float's Chigo (sacred c***d) cuts a straw rope with a sword and the parade officially begins.
24th : Yama Hoko Grand Parade (Ato-matsuri) and Hanagasa Flower Hat Procession
At 9:30, the leading Hashibenkei-yama starts forward. Bringing up the rear will be the Ofune-hoko. At 10:00, about ten large umbrella floats attended by nearly 1,000 people depart from Yasaka Shrine. The Hanagasa procession will go up Teramachi Street from Shijo to Oike and follows the Yama Hoko parade.
The Gion Matsuri is a big annual festival dedicated to the deity of Yasaka Shrine. Throughout its history, Kyoto has suffered many times from all kinds of bad omens including epidemics, floods, fires, and earthquakes. To keep the bad omens away and the good spirits strong and content, special protective or goryo-e (御霊会=A festival for appeasing the dead spirits) festivals have been held in Kyoto since ancient times.
The origin of the festival dates back to 869, the early Heian period (794-1185) as one of Japan's oldest goryo-e festival to stop a series of devastating plagues. In desperation, the reigning emperor decreed that special prayers would be said at Yasaka Shrine(八坂神社), one of Kyoto's oldest and most important shrines. The festival became a yearly event starting around 970 and, except for brief interruptions, it has continued ever since.
Though the festival began as a religious purification ritual, by the end of the Kamakura period (1185-1333) it had also become a way for craft guilds and merchant f a m i l i e s to compete in showing off their wealth and taste. Large floats, musicians, dances, comic plays, and artistic treasures were all part of the celebrations at the close of the 10th century.
As the floats became increasingly elaborate and heavy, large wheels were added so that the floats could be rolled. In the 14th century, the floats acquired a second story for musicians and page boys. From the late 16th century onwards, as a result of the growing prosperity of Kyoto's merchants, artworks from China, Persia, and even Europe found their way along the Silk Road to the capital.
2014 marked a historical moment for the festival, when the Gion Festival returned back to its original form. The commonly known united-procession was separated into the Saki Matsuri (former festival) and the Ato Matsuri (latter festival). This year 2017 will be the 4th year to witness the revived Ato Matsuri starting from July 24.
The Saki Matsuri (July 17) parade is gorgeous and boisterous with many floats (23 floats) as usual. In contrast, the revived Ato Matsuri (July 24) is held in a much quieter atmosphere (less onlookers) with less floats (10 floats) as there will be no stalls, nor extra goodies, etc. For tourists who can stay bit longer, you may have a great chance to see the contrast of both the gorgeous and fun Saki Matsuri along with the solemn and beautiful Ato Matsuri .
The Yama and Hoko Floats :
There are two kinds of floats: "Yama=山" and "Hoko=鉾". There are total 33 floats in the procession: 23 are Yama and 10 are Hoko floats. Yama are smaller floats (weighting from 1.5 tons, up to about 6 meters high) and carried by people on their shoulders. The Yama floats depict scenes from Chinese and Japanese history and mythology and often bear pine trees, shrines, and mannequins.
( LEFT is "Hoko" and RIGHT is "Yama" )
Hoko are massive, many of them are 2-storied floats (weight about 5-12 tons, about 25 meters high) on large wooden wheels and pulled by people. Unlike the yama, the roofed hoko have long, mast-like poles ending in an identifying ornament. One float requires at least 12 or 13 people and large ones have up to 50 people, and still, it is very tough and tiring work to pull such massive floats through the city, without a break, under the severer summer sun.
For tourists and citizens alike a big part of the Gion Festival is still connected with the elaborate floats that have made this festival so famous. In the 15th century, when Kyoto's kimono merchants' fortunes grew, they began to compete against each other to see who could build the biggest and most beautiful floats.
During the Edo period (1600 -1868) and early Meiji period (1868 -1912), the floats and the city of Kyoto were badly damaged by war fire on several occasions. However, each time the citizens worked hard to rebuild everything and the festival continued to grow in popularity and fame. For this reason the floats are also called ''moving museums''.
10th -1４th : Hoko and Yama Construction
The preceding festival's 23 floats are assembled in the communities they belong to. This is a great opportunity for getting a close up look at the floats.
12th -14th : Hoko and Yama Trial Pulling
The people of each respective float community try carrying or pulling the newly constructed floats, accompanied by Gionbayashi music, to ensure that they are ready for the parade on the 17th.
17th : Yama Hoko Grand Parade (Saki-matsuri)
At 9:00, the leading Naginata-hoko starts forward. When it reaches Fuyacho Street, the float's Chigo (sacred c***d) cuts a straw rope with a sword and the parade officially begins.
24th : Yama Hoko Grand Parade (Ato-matsuri) and Hanagasa Flower Hat Procession
At 9:30, the leading Hashibenkei-yama starts forward. Bringing up the rear will be the Ofune-hoko. At 10:00, about ten large umbrella floats attended by nearly 1,000 people depart from Yasaka Shrine. The Hanagasa procession will go up Teramachi Street from Shijo to Oike and follows the Yama Hoko parade.
8年前
