Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki of Gion Matsuri

The information of Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki is presented here. Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki is held every year on July 23rd. In Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki, yamabushi (mountain monks) from Shogoin Monzeki Temple set up the gomadan on the street to burn the gomagi (wooden stick) dedicated during Latter Festival Yoiyama period to pray for the fulfillment of wishes and for the safety of Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) .

• Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki Schedule 2024
• Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki map ＆ access
• Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki brief overview

【Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki Schedule 2024 (confirmation required)】

Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki 2024 will be held on Tuesday, July 23rd 2024 at 14:00.
●Gion Matsuri Festival 2024 will start on July 1st, 2024 and end on July 31st, 2024.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)

【Ennogyoja Yama Location Map ＆ Directions】

Address: 367 Ennogyojayama-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Karasuma Oike Station (about 2 minutes on foot), Subway Shijo Station (about 12 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 10 minutes on foot)

【Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki of Gion Matsuri brief overview】

Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki (役行者山護摩焚き) of Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) is held every year on July 23rd. In Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki, yamabushi (mountain monks) from Shogoin Monzeki Temple set up the gomadan on Muromachi-dori to burn the gomagi (wooden stick) dedicated during Latter Festival Yoiyama period (July 21th-23th) to pray for the fulfillment of wishes and for the safety of Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) . In addition, Yamabushi Yama Goma-daki is also held every year on July 15th.

★When the 72nd Emperor Shirakawa made a pilgrimage to Kumano Sanzan in 1090, Zoyo-daisojo served as his sendatsu (leader), and was given Joko-ji Temple, which was said to have been founded by En-no-Gyoja (En-no-Oduno), and changed the name of the temple to Shogo-in Temple, from the two characters for “Seitai Goji (聖体護持)”. Zoyo-daisojo succeeded Chisho-daishi Enchin, the founder of the Tendai Jimon sect, and practiced asceticism at Omine in Nara, and then was appointed as the 1st Kumano Sanzan Kengyo post and presided over Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha. In 1202, Joe Hoshinno, a prince of the 77th Emperor Go-Shirakawa, entered Shogo-in Temple as a miya-monzeki, and Shogo-in Temple became a monzeki temple. However, Shogo-in Temple was destroyed by military fire during the Onin War (1467-1477), and was moved to Iwakura. Shogo-in Temple was again destroyed by fire, so Shogo-in Temple was moved to Karasuma Imadegawa. After that, Shogo-in Temple spread in the Enpo-no-taika (Great Fire of Enpo) in 1675, and returned to its current old location in 1676.
★The origin of Ennogyoja Yama is not clear. In the “Gionshaki (Records of Yasaka Shrine)”, which describes the names of Yamahoko floats and places in the middle of the Muromachi period (1336-1573) before the Onin War (1467-1477), it is written as “Ennogyoja Yama (between Anekoji Muromachi and Sanjo)”, and Ennogyoja Yama is said to have already been founded before the Onin War. Ennogyoja Yama is derived from the legend that En no Gyoja (En no Odunu), the founder of the Shugendo sect, built a stone bridge between Katsuragi and Omine in Nara using Hitokotonushi-no-kami. En no Gyoja (En no Odunu) was a magical monk from the Asuka period (592-710) to the Nara period (710-794), and is said to have cured the illness of Fujiwara no Kamatari (Nakatomi no Kamatari). It is said that when En no Gyoja was a teenager, he studied the magic of Kujaku Myoo at Gangoji Temple in Nara, continued his mountain training in Katsuragi, Kumano, and Omine, sensed Kongo Zao Dai-Gongen at Mt. Kinpu Yoshino, and laid the foundation for Shugendo, which combines ancient mountain worship (religions) in Japan and foreign esoteric Buddhism. In the Edo period (1603-1867), it is said that he was given the posthumous title of Jinpen Dai-Bosatsu by the emperor. It is also said that Hitokotonushi-no-kami appeared to the 21st Emperor Yusaku while he was hunting in Katsuragi, and is said to be the same deity as Katsuragi-no-kami.
★Muromachi-dori runs north-south from Kitayama-dori at the northern end to Jujo-dori south at the southern end. It is said that the name Muromachi-dori was once there a muro, and that the Muromachi River ran through it. The Ashikaga shoguns built the Muromachi-dai (Muromachi-dono, Hana-no-Gosho Palace) on Muromachi-dori.

【Ennogyoja Yama Goma-daki of Gion Matsuri remarks】
*Events may be rescheduled or cancelled. Also, the content of the event may have changed.
祇園祭2025日程一覧（宵山屋台・山鉾巡行・・・）