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Hakurakuten Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival
Hakurakuten Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival
The information of Hakurakuten Yama is presented here. Hakurakuten Yama is a small-sized Yamahoko float (Kakiyama float), and its symbol is a pine tree reaching vertically to the sky. The pine tree used for the shinmatsu is said to be the tallest of all the kakiyama floats. Hakurakuten (Hakkyoi), from whom Hakurakuten Yama is derived, was a poet of the middle To dynasty in China, and was named “Ritokanpaku” along with Rihaku, Toho, and Kanyu.
- Location Map & Directions
- History and Brief Overview
- Features (subject to change)
- Events (confirmation required)
【Hakurakuten Yama Location Map & Directions】
Address: Hakurakuten-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Shijo Station (about 5 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 7 minutes on foot)
Location: Hakurakuten Yama is located on Muromachi-dori, about 20 meters north of the intersection of Muromachi-dorii (north-south) and Bukkoji-dori (east-west).
【Hakurakuten Yama and Brief Overview】
★The origin of Hakurakuten Yama (白楽天山) is not clear. Hakurakuten Yama is not mentioned 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), and it is said that Hakurakuten Yama was founded after the Onin War. After that, Tenmei-no-taika (the Great Fire of Tenmei) in 1788 in the late Edo period (1603-1868) and Genji-no-taika (the Great Fire of Genji) in 1864 at the end of the Edo period destroyed the do-kake and the body of the doll, but it was restored each time. In 1860, Hakurakuten Yama purchased the mae-kake (front) made in Brussels, Belgium in the 16th century (about 1580-1620) from Toro Yama.
★Hakurakuten Yama is derived from the story that the To Dynasty (China) poet Hakurakuten (Hakkyoi) visited a Zen master Dorin-zenji, who lived on a pine tree and was said to have sought the essence of Buddhism, and questioned the meaning of Buddhism. When Hakurakuten asked Dorin-zenji about the meaning of Buddhism, Dorin-zenji replied, “Do good, do no evil. (Shoakumakusa Shuzenbugyo)”. By the way, “Shoakumakusa Shuzenbugyo” is the first verse of the “Shichibutsu Tsuukaige”. Hakurakuten was half amazed and replied, “Even a three-year-old child knows such things.” Then, Dorin-zenji said, “Even if a three-year-old child can say it, even an eighty-year-old old man cannot do it,” and Hakurakuten was impressed by Dorin-zenji’s words.
★Hakurakuten (Hakkyoi) was a poet of the middle To dynasty in China, and was called “Ritokanpaku” along with Rihaku, Toho, and Kanyu. His Chogonka “Biwako”, which describes the love between Genso and Yokihi, are said to have influenced the literature of the Heian period (794-1185), including the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji). Although Hakurakuten’s family was poor, he studied hard and was appointed to an office. He became a kanrin-gakushi (scholar) in the central government, and was promoted to a higher rank after being favored by Kenso, but was demoted to Siba in Kosyu because of a letter he had written to Kenso.
*reference・・・Hakurakuten Yama website
【Features (subject to change)】
★Hakurakuten Yama weighs about 0.71 tons. (2008 Data) Hakurakuten Yama is marked by a pine tree reaching into the sky. The pine tree is said to be the tallest of all the Yama floats.
★The Goshintai (deity figure) of Dorin-zenji is seated on a pine tree wearing an indigo hat and a shie (purple robe), holding a rosary in one hand and a hosu 払子(ほっす)in the other hand.
The Goshintai (deity figure) of Hakurakuten stands wearing a tokan (hat) and a white kariginu, holding a shaku in his hand.
★The mae-kake (front) is the santentugi: the shishuzaki (embroidery) with unryu (cloud dragon) pattern made in 1808 in the late Edo period (1603-1868), and the ketsudure purchased from Toro Yama in 1860. The do-kake and the mizuhiki were the ketsudure which made in the 17th century and purchased from France in 1978. The miokuri (back) was the tsudurenishiki with the kirin-dragon-phoenix pattern, but in 1953, it was replaced by the keorinishiki of “Pekin Manjusan-zu (Beijing Manju Mountain)” by Yamaga Seika. The old mizuhiki was the embroidery made in 1872 with birds and animals such as peacocks and kylins.
【Events (confirmation required)】
★In Former Festival Yoiyama from July 14th to July 16th, Komagata-chochin lanterns of Hakurakuten Yama are lit and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played in the evening.
★In Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) on July 17th, Yamahoko floats, including Hakurakuten Yama depart from Shijo-Karasuma and parade along Shijo-dori, Kawaramachi-dori, and Oike-dori.
★Chimaki, which has the benefit of academic success, good luck and protection from disasters, amulets, hand towels, bracelets for academic success, etc. are available for purchase.
【Hakurakuten Yama 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・・・)