Hiyori-Kagura of Gion Matsuri

The information of Hiyori-Kagura is presented here. Hiyori-Kagura is held every year on July 16th. In Hiyori-Kagura, yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns), whichi has Hayashi-kata (music group), go to Yasaka Shrine Otabisho while playing Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music), and dedicate Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) at Yasaka Shrine Otabisho to pray for good weather on the next day, and for the safety of Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade).

• Hiyori-Kagura Schedule
• Hiyori-Kagura Map ＆ Access
• Hiyori-Kagura Brief Overview

【Hiyori-Kagura 2025 Schedule (confirmation required)】

Hiyori-Kagura 2025 will be held on Wednesday, July 16th, 2025 from around 21:00. However, the schedule varies by yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns).
●Gion Matsuri Festival 2025 will start on July 1st, 2025 and end on July 31st, 2025.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)

【Yasaka Shrine Otabisho Location Map ＆ Directions】

Address: Teiannaeno-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Shijo Kawaramachi bus stop (about 3 minutes on foot), Hankyu Kyoto Kawaramachi Station (about 3 minutes on foot), Keihan Gion Shijo Station (about 8 minutes on foot), Sabway Shijo Station (about 15 minutes on foot)

【Hiyori-Kagura of Gion Matsuri brief overview】

Hiyori-Kagura (日和神楽（前祭）) of Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) is held every year on July 16th. In Hiyori-Kagura, yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns), which includes Naginata Hoko, Kanko Hoko, Tsuki Hoko, Niwatori Hoko, Kikusui Hoko, Fune Hoko, Hoka Hoko, Iwato Yama, Ayakasa Hoko, and Shijokasa Hoko with their Hayashi-kata (music group) head to Yasaka Shrine Otabisho near Shijo Kawaramachi while playing Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music), and dedicate Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) at Yasaka Shrine Otabisho to pray for good weather on the next day, July 17th, and for the safety of Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). However, only Naginata Hoko crosses the Kamo-gawa River to Yasaka Shrine, while playing Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) to pray for good weather and the safety of Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade).

★Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played with kane (gongs), fue (flutes), and taiko (drums), and kane (gongs) are attached to the yatai-guruma, that travel between yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns) and Yasaka Shrine Otabisho. To avoid the congestion of Shijo-dori, some yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns) return to yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns) via Matsubara-dori instead of Shijo-dori. Matsubara-dori used to be the route of Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade).
★It is said that Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) began to be played at the end of the Muromachi period (1333-1573), inspired by Nohgaku (Sarugaku (Noh and Kyogen)), and was arranged in its present form during the Edo period (1603-1868). Gion-bayashi is composed of suri-kane (gongs), which produce a unique tone and rhythm, fue (flutes), which play the melody, and shime-taiko (drums), which control the tempo and the entire performance. Although some parts of Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) are common to yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns), most of them are unique to each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns). Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is also affectionately known as “Konchikichin”. It is said that the lively Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) played during Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) has the function of luring and attracting evil spirits, believed to be the source of plague, and bringing them back to yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town) to be sealed in a storehouse.
★Yasaka Shrine Otabisho was founded at its present location in 1591 during the Momoyama period (1591-1600), when Toyotomi Hideyoshi consolidated Omandokoro Otabisho and Shoshoi Otabisho. Yasaka Shrine Otabisho took on its current appearance in 1912 when Shijo-dori was widened. Yasaka Shrine Otabisho is where three mikoshi (Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi, and Nishigoza Mikoshi) are temporarily enshrined from Shinko-sai held on July 17th to Kanko-sai held on July 24th. Outside of Gion Matsuri Festival period (July 1st-31st), the portable shrine warehouse operates as the Shijo Center Otabi Kyoto, which sells Kyoto souvenirs and other items.
★Shijo-dori is Shijo-oji of Heian-kyo from Shin Kyogoku-dori on the east side to near the Tenjin River on the west side. Shijo-dori is the main road leading to Yasaka Shrine.

【Hiyori-Kagura 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・・・）