- Home
- Former Festival Yamahoko-tate of Gion Matsuri (July 10th-14th, 2024)
Former Festival Yamahoko-tate of Gion Matsuri (July 10th-14th, 2024)
Former Festival Yamahoko-tate of Gion Matsuri
The information of Former Festival Yamahoko-tate is presented here. Former Festival Yamahoko-tate is held every year from July 10th to July 14th. Before Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko on July 17th, 23 Yamahoko floats are assembled using the traditional technique known as “nawa-garami” which involves the use of the rough straw ropes without the use of nails, and then decorated with the kesohin (decoration) and other accessories.
- Former Festival Yamahoko-tate 2024 Schedule
- Former Festival Yamahoko-tate map & access
- Former Festival Yamahoko-tate brief overview
【Former Festival Yamahoko-tate 2024 Schedule (confirmation required)】
Former Festival Yamahoko-tate 2024 will be held from Wednesday, July 10th to Sunday, July 14th, 2024.
The large Yamahoko floats (Naginata Hoko, Kanko Hoko, Kikusui Hoko, Niwatori Hoko, Tsuki Hoko, Hoka Hoko, Fune Hoko, and Iwato Yama) will be assembled from the 10th and 11th, but the schedule varies by Yamahoko float.
●Gion Matsuri Festival 2024 will start on July 1st, 2024 and end on July 31st, 2024.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)
【Yamahoko Map (Former Festival) by Google Maps】
Yamaboko floats of Former Festival are Naginata Hoko, Yamabushi Yama, Hakurakuten Yama, Ashikari Yama, Kanko Hoko, Kakkyo Yama, Shijokasa Hoko, Tokusa Yama, Niwatori Hoko, Aburatenjin Yama, Moso Yama, Araretenjin Yama, Kikusui Hoko, Hosho Yama, Ayakasa Hoko, Taishi Yama, Tsuki Hoko, Hakuga Yama, Toro Yama, Urade Yama, Hoka Hoko, Iwato Yama and Fune Hoko
【Former Festival Yamahoko-tate of Gion Matsuri brief overview】
Former Festival Yamahoko-tate (山鉾建て(前祭)) of Gion Matsuri Festival (祇園祭) is held every year from July 10th to July 14th before Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) on July 17th. In Former Festival Yamahoko-tate, the parts of 23 Yamahoko floats taken out of the storage room are assembled using the traditional technique known as “nawa-garami” which involves the use of the rough straw ropes without the use of nails, and then decorated with the kesohin (decoration) and other accessories. By the way, the part called “Ishimochi” on top of the wheel is about 7 meters long.
The large Yamahoko floats are assembled by tetsudai-kata, daiku-kata, and kuruma-kata, which are called “sakuji sanyaku (sakuji sansha, sakuji-kata)”. First, tetsudai-kata assemble the dogumi (rogumi), which is the basic structure of Yamahoko float, then daiku-kata assemble hoko-yane (float roof) and hayashi-dai (music stand), which is the top of Yamahoko float, and finally, kuruma-kata attach the wheels to Yamahoko float after the decorations are completed. The large Yamahoko floats are sometimes laid down horizontally and then raised vertically with a winch. By the way, if you want to enjoy Former Festival Yamahoko-tate, we recommend Shijo-dori, where Naginata Hoko, Kanko Hoko, and Tsuki Hoko are lined up, Muromachi-dori, where Kikusui Hoko and Niwatori Hoko are lined up, and Shinmachi-dori, where Hoka Hoko, Fune Hoko, and Iwato Yama are lined up. After Former Festival Yamahoko-tate is completed, Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome is held on July 12th and 13th. On July 12th, Kanko Hoko, Niwatori Hoko, Tsuki Hoko, Kikusui Hoko, and Naginata Hoko are pulled and on July 13th, Hoka Hoko, Fune Hoko, Iwato Yama and Toro Yama are pulled.
★Dates and times in 2023 (Dates and times are subject to change or cancellation without notice.)
●Naginata Hoko : July 10th – 12th, 7:00 –
●Kanko Hoko : July 10th – 12th, 7:00 –
●Niwatori Hoko : July 10th – 12th, 8:00 –
●Kikusui Hoko : July 10th 8:00 (construction shop), around 15:00 (moving the town)
●Tsuki Hoko : July 10th – 12th, 8:00 –
●Hoka Hoko : July 11th – 13th, 6:30 –
●Fune Hoko : July 11th – 13th, 8:00 –
●Iwato Yama : July 11th 8:00 –
●Hosho Yama : July 12th 9:00 –
●Moso Yama : July 14th 8:00 –
●Urade Yama : July 13th 8:00 –
●Yamabushi Yama : July 13th 9:00 –
●Araretenjin Yama : July 13th 8:00 –
●Kakkyo Yama : July 13th 7:00 –
●Hakuga Yama : July 12th 8:00 –
●Ashikari Yama : July 13th 8:00 –
●Aburatenjin Yama : July 13th 8:00 –
●Tokusa Yama : July 13th 8:00 –
●Taishi Yama : July 13th 10:00 –
●Hakurakuten Yama : July 13th 7:00 –
●Ayakasa Hoko : July 13th 9:00 –
●Toro Yama : July 13th 8:00 –
●Shijokasa Hoko : July 14th 7:00 –
★In general, “nawa-garami” is made by alternating vertical and horizontal winding, and is called “o-cho musubi (male butterfly knot)”, “me-cho musubi (female butterfly knot)”, “ebi musubi (shrimp knot)”, “tsuru musubi (crane knot)”, “kame musubi (turtle knot)”, “yawata-maki”, etc., depending on the shape of the rough straw ropes. It is said that in “nawa-garami”, even the parts that cannot be seen can be made to look beautiful. “nawa-garami” is said to bring good luck with the numbers 3, 5, 7, and so on. The east side of Naginata Hoko is the front side where Yasaka Shrine is located, with “o-cho musubi (male butterfly knot)” on the east and west sides (front and back) and “me-cho musubi (female butterfly knot)” on the north and south sides (left and right). It seems that the fixing by “nawa-garami” has the advantage of being able to absorb the distortion caused by the vibration during Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). Incidentally, it is said that the rough straw ropes used in “nawa-garami” can be about 5 kilometers long in the case of the large Yamahoko float. It is said that the large Yamahoko float is about 25 meters high and weighs about 10 tons.
★”Sakuji sanyaku (tetsudai-kata, daiku-kata, and kuruma-kata)” are basically not residents of yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns), but they are entrusted with Yamahoko-tate and Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). In Yamahoko-Junko, tetsudai-kata act as ondo-tori, directing hiki-kata (float pullers) with the sensu (fan) and the ondo (shout), daiku-kata act as yane-kata (roof), avoiding obstacles such as electric wires, and kuruma-kata adjust the direction of Yamahoko-Junko.
★The rough straw rope for Yamahoko-tate is produced at the rope factory in Fukuchiyama City from around June each year. The rough straw rope is made by removing straw waste from rice straw and using a special machine to maintain uniformity in thickness and strength. The rough straw rope is about 12 millimeters in diameter, which makes it thicker and stronger than regular rope, which is about 6 to 8 millimeters in diameter. The rope is made into balls 100 meters long, and about 500 pieces are made.
★The foundation stones are embedded in a rectangle (square) on the asphalt road where Yamahoko floats are assembled. However, not all Yamaboko floats have the foundation stones, and most of them are located on Shinmachi-dori where the large Yamahoko floats are assembled. Kanko Hoko, which are assembled on busy Shijo-dori, also have the foundation stones. The foundation stones are used to mark the position of Yamahoko float and to support the weight of Yamahoko float, which can weigh up to 10 tons. There are sometimes two covered holes 40 to 50 centimeters deep next to the foundation stones. Wooden stakes are inserted into the two holes, and a pillar is passed through. To set the shingi (pillar) of the yamahoko float to the dogumi (rogumi), the dogumi (rogumi) is laid horizontally and then raised vertically.
【Former Festival Yamahoko-tate 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・・・)