Fune Hoko of Gion Matsuri Festival

Fune Hoko of Gion Matsuri Festival

The information of Fune Hoko (Fune Boko) is presented here. Fune Hoko is large boat-shaped Yamahoko float (Fune float). The only boat-shaped Yamahoko floats are Fune Hoko and Ofune Hoko, and Fune Hoko is said to be the “Shutsujin no Funehoko (Funehoko of Departure)” and Ofune Hoko is said to be the “Gaisen no Funehoko (Funehoko of Triumph)”. Funahoko has an imaginary golden bird “Geki” at the bow and a beautiful rudder at the stern. Hayashi-kata (music group) playing Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) board Fune Hoko during Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade).

【Fune Hoko Location Map & Directions】

Address: Funehoko-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Shijo Station (about 7 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 10 minutes on foot)
Location: Fune Hoko is located on Shinmachi-dori, about 60 meters north of the intersection of Shinmachi-dori (north-south) and Bukkoji-dori (east-west).

【Fune Hoko (Fune Boko) History and Brief Overview】

The origin of Fune Hoko (船鉾) is not clear. In the “Gionshaki”, 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 “Shinkukuwaukuu no Fune しんくくわうくうの舟 (between Shijo and Ayanokoji)”, and Fune Hoko is said to have already been founded before the Onin War. The hon-men (old shinmen, old mask, main mask), which is attached to the statue of Empress Jingu (the deity figure of Fune Hoko) was made in the Bunan period (1444-1448) in the middle of the Muromachi period (1336-1573), and the utsushi-men (new shinmen, new mask, copy mask) was made in the Edo period (1603-1868). In 1574 during the Sengoku period (1493-1590), Oda Nobunaga presented Uesugi Kenshin with the “Rakuchu Rakugai-zu Byobu” (Uesugi version) by the painter Kano Eitoku, depicting a sail pillar (mast) erected on Fune Hoko, but the sail pillar (mast) was abolished in 1757 in the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868).
In 1788, Fune Hoko was destroyed by the Tenmei-no-taika (Great Fire of Tenmei) and rebuilt in 1792. The present Fune Hoko was rebuilt in the Tempo period (1830-1843) during the late Edo period (1603-1868). In 1864, four wheels were burned down by Dondon-yake (Genji Great Fire), and from the following year onward, Fune Hoko did not participate in Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade), but in 1889, Fune Hoko borrowed four wheels from Minamikannon Yama and returned to Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade), and in 1892, Fune Hoko renovated four wheels. Fune Hoko has participated in Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) since 1948, the second time after the Pacific War.

★Fune Hoko is derived from the story (Japan’s oldest history book “Kojiki” and Japan’s oldest official history book “Nihonshoki”) of the “Sankan Seibatsu (Conquest of the Three Kans)” of the pregnant Empress Jingu. Fune Hoko originated from the departure of a ship on an expedition to Shiragi, it is said to be “Shutsujin no Funehoko (Funehoko of Departure)”, while Ofune Hoko is said to be “Gaisen no Funehoko (Funehoko of Triumph)”. Empress Jingu is said to have been the empress of the 14th Emperor Chuai. When the Emperor Chuai went to Kyushu to defeat the Kumaso and died suddenly at Kashigu Palace in Tsukushi (Fukuoka Prefecture), Empress Jingu who accompanied him is said to have made an expedition to Shiragi despite being pregnant, subdued Shiragi without a fight, and returned to Tsukushi (Fukuoka Prefecture) to give birth to the 15th Emperor Ojin without incident. It is said that during the “Sankan Seibatsu (Conquest of the Three Kans), Kudara and Kokuri, in addition to Shiragi, promised to pay tribute to Japan as well as Shiragi.
★Empress Jingu was the empress of the 14th Emperor Chuai. Her father was Okinaganosukune-no-mikoto, the great-great-grandson of the 9th Emperor Kaika, and her mother was Kazuraginotakanukahime, the great-great-granddaughter of Amenohiboko, who came to Tajima (Hyogo Prefecture) from Shiragi. After the death of Emperor Chuai, Empress Jingu served as regent from 201 to 269, and conducted political affairs such as the Sankan Seibatsu (Conquest of the Three Kans). Empress Jingu also suppressed and eliminated a rebellion by Prince Kagosaka no mikoto and Prince Oshikuma no mikoto, the 1st and 2nd sons of Emperor Chuai, after the birth of Emperor Ojin.
*reference・・・Fune Hoko website

【Features (subject to change)】

★Fune Hoko is about 6.60 meters high, 6.85 meters long, 3.30 meters wide, 8.41 tons in weight, and has a minimum turning radius of 4.90 meters. (2008 Data)
★Fune Hoko is in the shape of a ship, and has a Chinese imaginary water bird “Geki” at the bow and a rudder with a flying dragon pattern made of black lacquered mother-of-pearl inlays at the stern. “Geki” was made by Nasegawa Wakasa during the Horeki period (1751-1764) in the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868), and the rudder was made in 1792 in the late Edo period.
★The roof of Fune Hoko is made in the Karahafu Irimoyadukuri style, and the fukinagashi (choryu (streamers) of red and white) flow from the roof. By the way, Fune Hoko is surrounded by a vermilion-painted koran column.
★Fune Hoko enshrines the statue of Empress Jingu and the three statues of the sea god Azumi-no-Isora, Sumiyoshi Myojin, and Kashima Myojin. The statue of Empress Jingu is dressed in a scarlet military costume with the shinmen (mask) attached, and Azumi-no-Isora serving as the pilot at the bow of Fune Hoko, offers the Michihirutama of the Ryugu (Dragon Palace), to Sumiyoshi Myojin. The shinmen (mask) has been said to bring blessings for safe childbirth since ancient times, and it is said to have been visited by the Imperial Palace on the occasion of the birth of Emperor Meiji in 1852. The costumes worn by the statue of Empress Jingu, such as suikan, karaori with a chrysanthemum pattern on a gold background, okuchibakama, etc. were newly created in 2010. The long sword of Kashima Myojin was made by Inoue Izumi-no-kami Shinkai.
★The embroidery with the Unryu-zu of the mizuhiki is a design by Nishimura Nantei. The mizuhiki of the koran was newly replaced in 2009.
★Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) of Fune Hoko includes “Tsuru”, “Asahi”, “Matsu”, “Okina”, “Ryu”, “Chikushi”, “Fune”, “Aoi”, and others.
★Chimaki, which has the benefit of safe childbirth, abdominal belts, good luck charms, postcards, etc, are available for purchase. The purchase of chimaki and other items may allow you to board Fune Hoko. (Confirmation required)

【Events (confirmation required)】

★In Funehoko-cho Shinmen-aratame on July 3rd, the hon-men (old shinmen, old mask, main mask) and the utsushi-men (new shinmen, new mask, copy mask), which is attached to the statue of Empress Jingu, are checked for good condition. (Normally closed to the public)
★In Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome on July 13th, newly assembled Fune Hoko is pulled a short distance, just as in the actual Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko on July 17th.
★In Former Festival Yoiyama from July 14th to July 16th, Komagata-chochin lanterns of Fune Hoko are lit and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played in the evening.
★In Hiyori-Kagura on July 16th, Hayashi-kata (music group) of Fune Hoko go to Yasaka Shrine Otabisho while playing Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music), and dedicate Gion-bayashi to pray for good weather on the next day, and for the safety of Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade).
★Jingukogo Goshintai-haraobimaki on July 16th, Iwata-obi (girth belts) are wrapped around the statue of Empress Jingu to pray for a safe delivery.
★In Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) on July 17th, Yamahoko floats, including Fune Hoko depart from Shijo-Karasuma and parade along Shijo-dori, Kawaramachi-dori, and Oike-dori. Fune Hoko is kuji-torazu (without drawing lots), and is the 23rd last float in the procession of Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko, and Tsuji-mawashi (turning of streets) is performed at the intersection.

【Fune Hoko of Gion Matsuri remarks】
*Events may be rescheduled or cancelled. Also, the content of the event may have changed.
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