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Gion Matsuri Schedule (July 1st-31st) Yamahoko-Junko
Gion Matsuri Schedule
The schedule of Gion Matsuri (Gion Festival) is presented here. Gion Matsuri is held for one month in July, from July 1st to July 31st. Former Festival (Saki Matsuri) is from July 14th, when Yoiyama is held, to July 17th, when Yamahoko-Junko and Shinko-sai are held, and Latter Festival (Ato Matsuri) is from July 21st, when Yoiyama is held, to July 24th, when Yamahoko-Junko and Kanko-sai are held, and it is visited by many domestic and foreign tourists.
★The schedule of major events is as follows.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)
- Former Festival Yoiyama・・・July 14th-16th
- Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko・・・July 17th
- Shinko-sai・・・July 17th
- Latter Festival Yoiyama・・・July 21st-23rd
- Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko・・・July 24th
- Kanko-sai・・・July 24th
【July 10th-14th morning-evening Former Festival Yamahoko-tate】
In Former Festival Yamahoko-tate (山鉾建て), 23 Yamahoko floats are assembled. 23 Yamahoko floats are assembled without using a single nail, using a traditional technique called “Nawagarami” with rough straw ropes. Nawa-garami is called “o-cho musubi (male butterfly)”, “me-cho musubi (female butterfly)”, “ebi musubi (shrimp)”, “tsuru musubi (crane)”, “kame musubi (turtle)”, “yawata-maki”, etc., depending on the shape of the rough straw ropes. Large Yamahoko floats are turned 90 degrees to the side once to set up the shingi (pillar), and then pulled up 90 degrees by a winch. Large Yamahoko floats such as Naginata Hoko, Kanko Hoko, Kikusui Hoko, Niwatori Hoko, Tsuki Hoko, Hoka Hoko, Fune Hoko and Iwato Yama are assembled from early morning until evening and are completed in about three days. Yamahoko-hikizome is held on July 12th and 13th. (The schedule and time vary in each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town).)
【July 10th 16:30- Omukae-Chochin】
In Omukae-Chochin (お迎え提灯), the procession of chochin (lanterns), hayashi-kata (music group) of Yamahoko floats, chigo-musha, komachi-odori, sagi-mai, gion-odori, umaosa-Chigo and others parade from Yasaka Shrine to Kyoto City Hall, where Komachi-odori, Sagi-odori, Gion-odori and other performing arts are dedicated in front of Kyoto City Hall. The procession then returns to Yasaka Shrine, where the procession welcomes Nakagoza Mikoshi, which was purified by Mikoshi-arai under the west stone steps of Yasaka Shrine, and also dedicates the performing arts at Yasaka Shrine. In Mikoshi-arai, of 3 portable shrines (Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi and Nishigoza Mikoshi), Nakagoza Mikoshi is carried from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo Ohashi Bridge and purified with the divine water, whichi is pumped from Kamo-gawa River. After Mikoshi-arai, Nakagoza Mikoshi is decorated and kept in Buden together with Higashigoza Mikoshi and Nishigoza Mikoshi until Shinko-sai.
【July 12th 14:00- Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome】
In Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome (山鉾曳き初め), 5 Yamaboko floats are moved in the same manner as at Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). The general public may be able to participate. (Confirmation required) Yamahoko-hikizome begins at 14:00 for Kanko Hoko (Shijo-dori), 14:30 for Niwatori Hoko (Muromachi-dori), 15:00 for Tsuki Hoko (Shijo-dori) and Kikusui Hoko (Muromachi-dori), and 15:30 for Naginata Hoko (Shijo-dori). In Naginata Hoko, Chigo-mai (Taihei-no-mai) by Chigo is also performed, as it was at Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko.
【July 13th 12:00- Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome】
In Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome (山鉾曳き初め), 4 Yamaboko floats are moved in the same manner as at Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). The general public may be able to participate. (Confirmation required) Yamahoko-hikizome begins at 12:00 for Toro Yama (Nishinotoin-dori), 15:00 for Hoka Hoko (Shinmachi-dori), Fune Hoko (Shinmachi-dori) and Iwato Yama (Shinmachi-dori). Hoka Hoko, Fune Hoko, and Iwato Yama are all pulled together at the same time.
【July 13th~16th morning-night Former Festival Chimaki-juyo】
In Former Festival Chimaki-juyo (ちまき授与), chimaki and other items are sold at yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns). Some yamahoko-cho also offer online sales. They may be sold out. (The schedule differs in each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town).)
【July 14th~16th Former Festival Yoiyama】
In Former Festival Yoiyama (宵山), starting in the evening, Komagata-chochin (lanterns) are lit on 23 Yamahoko floats, and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played at Naginata Hoko, Kanko Hoko, Kikusui Hoko, Niwatori Hoko, Tsuki Hoko, Hoka Hoko, Fune Hoko, Iwato Yama, Ayakasa Hoko and Shijokasa Hoko, all of which have hayashi-kata (music group). Ayakasa Hoko and Shijokasa Hoko also perform bofuri-odori (dance). (The time is different in each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town).)
On the 15th and 16th, Karasuma-dori, Muromachi-dori, Shinmachi-dori and other streets are lined with food stalls, and Karasuma-dori, Shijo-dori and other streets become pedestrian zones in the evening.
【July 17th 9:00- Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko】
In Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (山鉾巡行), 23 Yamahoko floats parade from Shijo-Karasuma to Shijo-dori, Kawaramachi-dori and Oike-dori in that order. Yamahoko-Junko is held before Shinko-sai to purify the city and streets. During Yamahoko-Junko, Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played, and Chigo-mai (Taihei-no-mai), Shimenawa-kiri, Kuji-aratame and Tsuji-mawashi are held. Chigo-mai is performed by Chigo of Naginata Hoko during shimenawa-kiri and whenever the name of the town changes. Shimenawa-kiri is performed by Chigo of Naginata Hoko at Shijo-Fuyacho. Kuji-aratame is held at Shijo-Sakaimachi. Tsuji-mawashi is held at Shijo-Kawaramachi and Kawaramachi-Oike.
【July 17th 16:00- Shinko-sai】
In Shinko-sai (神幸祭), the ritual begins at 16:00 at Yasaka Shrine, followed by the departure ceremony at 18:00 under the west stone steps of Yasaka Shrine. Around 18:30, Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi and Nishigoza Mikoshi are lifted overhead and turned clockwise, and then 3 Mikoshi go around the shrine parishioner town to Shijo Otabisho. 3 Mikoshi take different routes and go to Shijo Otabisho. The arrival times of the three mikoshi are also not constant.
【July 18th-21th morning-evening Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate】
In Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate (山鉾建て), 11 Yamahoko floats are assembled. 11 Yamahoko floats are assembled without using a single nail, using a traditional technique called “Nawagarami” with rough straw ropes. Nawa-garami is called “o-cho musubi”, “me-cho musubi”, “ebi musubi”, “tsuru musubi”, “kame musubi”, “yawata-maki”, etc., depending on the shape of the rough straw ropes. Large Yamahoko floats such as Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Taka Yama and Ofune Hoko are assembled from early morning until evening and are completed in about three days. Yamahoko-hikizome is held on July 20th. (The schedule and time vary in each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town).) Kitakannon Yama and Minamikannon Yama s held on July 19th Matsu-torishiki, is selected two pine trees cut down in Narutaki to by rock-paper-scissors and a lottery.
【July 20th 15:00- Latter Festival Yamahoko-hikizome】
In Latter Festival Yamahoko-hikizome (山鉾曳き初め), Yamaboko floats are moved in the same manner as at Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). The general public may be able to participate. Yamahoko-hikizome begins at 15:00 for Kitakannon Yama (Shinmachi-dori), Minamikannon Yama (Shinmachi-dori), Ofune Hoko (Shinmachi-dori), and Taka Yama (Sanjo-dori). Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Ofune Hoko and Taka Yama are all pulled together at the same time.
【July 20th-23th morning-night Latter Festival Chimaki-juyo】
In Latter Festival Chimaki-juyo (ちまき授与), chimaki and other items are sold at yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns) except for Kitakannon Yama. (The schedule differs in each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town).) Some yamahoko-cho also offer online sales. They may be sold out.
【July 21th~23th Latter Festival Yoiyama】
In Latter Festival Yoiyama (宵山), starting in the evening, Komagata-chochin (lanterns) are lit on 11 Yamahoko floats, and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played at Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Ofune Hoko and Taka Yama, all of which have hayashi-kata (music group). (The time is different in each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town).) (No pedestrian zone, no food stalls)
【July 24th 9:30- Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko】
In Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko (山鉾巡行), 11 Yamahoko floats parade from Karasuma-Oike to Oike-dori, Kawaramachi-dori and Shijo-dori in that order. Yamahoko-Junko is held before Kanko-sai to purify the city and streets. During Yamahoko-Junko, Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played, and Kuji-aratame and Tsuji-mawashi are held. Kuji-aratame is held in front of Kyoto City Hall. Tsuji-mawashi is held at Kawaramachi-Oike and Shijo-Kawaramachi.
【July 24th 9:30- Hanagasa-Junko】
In Hanagasa-Junko (花傘巡行), the procession of hanagasa, hanamachi (kagai) stalls, kodomo mikoshi (portable children’s shrines), gion-daiko, shishimai, sagimai, chigomusha, umaosachigo, rokusai-nenbutsu, mantoro, yasaka-gagakukai and others parade from Shimogyo Junior High School Seitoku Building to Yasaka Shrine along Takatsuji-dori, Karasuma-dori and Shijo-dori.
【July 24th 17:00- Kanko-sai】
In Kanko-sai (還幸祭), Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi and Nishigoza Mikoshi go from Shijo Otabisho to shrine parishioner town and back to Yasaka Shrine via Matabisha (Gokusha). 3 Mikoshi take different routes and go to Yasaka Shrine. The arrival times of the three mikoshi are also not constant.
【Gion Matsuri Schedule remarks】
*Events may be rescheduled or cancelled. Also, the content of the event may have changed.
祇園祭2023日程一覧(宵山屋台・山鉾巡行・・・)