Hamo-docyu of Gion Matsuri (early July, 2024)

Hamo-docyu of Gion Matsuri

The information of Hamo-docyu is presented here. Hamo-docyu is held every year in early July. In Hamo-docyu, the hamo (pike conger) in a wooden bucket, dolls of Ningyo Joruri, Queen Awaji, Tayu of Shimabara, etc. were paraded from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo-dori, and then the hamo (pike conger) was dedicated to Yasaka Shrine. Gion Matsuri Festival is also known as “Hamo Matsuri Festival”.

【Hamo-docyu 2024 Schedule (confirmation required)】

Hamo-docyu 2024 will be held from 14:00 in early July 2024.
●Gion Matsuri Festival 2024 will start on July 1st, 2024 and end on July 31st, 2024.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)

【Yasaka Shrine Location Map & Directions】

Address: 625 Gion-machi kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Gion bus stop (short walk), Keihan Gion Shijo Station (about 5 minutes on foot), Hankyu Kyoto Kawaramachi Station (about 8 minutes on foot), Subway Shijo Station (about 20 minutes on foot)

【Hamo-docyu of Gion Matsuri brief overview】

Hamo-docyu (はも道中) of Gion Matsuri Festival (祇園祭) is held every year in early July. Hamo-docyu is said to be held because the hamo (pike conger) were once offered to the imperial court from Awajishima Island, which was once called “Miketsu-kuni”. The hamo (pike conger) dedication has been sponsored by the Awajishima Tourist Association since 2009. The hamo (pike conger) from Awaji Island are caught one by one with a longline, so there are few blemishes, and they are also called “Beppin Hamo” or “Ohgon Hamo”. In Hamo-docyu, the hamo (pike conger) in a wooden bucket, dolls of Ningyo Joruri, Queen Awaji, Tayu of Shimabara, etc. were paraded from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo-dori, and then the hamo (pike conger) was dedicated to Yasaka Shrine. By the way, at Yasaka Shrine, a demonstration of cutting the bones of the hamo (pike conger) is held, and the local dish of Awaji Island, hamosuki, is served. (Confirmation required) Depending on the weather, the parade around Buden may be held and the content of the event may be changed.

★Gion Matsuri Festival is also known as “Hamo Matsuri Festival” because the hamo (pike conger) from the Seto Inland Sea were in season when Gion Matsuri Festival was held and people enjoyed themselves with the hamo (pike conger) dishes. It is said that the hamo (pike conger) become bigger and more delicious after drinking water from the rainy season. In the past, it was difficult to eat live fish from the sea in Kyoto, but only the hamo (pike conger), with its strong vitality, was brought to Kyoto alive. For this reason, the hamo (pike conger) was highly prized in Kyoto, and a cooking method called “Hone-kiri” was born, in which the hamo (pike conger) is sliced seven or eight times per centimeter through the many small bones.
★The hamo (pike conger) is a saltwater fish belonging to the order Anniformes and the family Hermitidae. The hamo is widely distributed throughout the tropical and temperate regions of the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in Japan it inhabits the central and southern parts of Honshu. It is said that the name of the hamo is derived from “hamu” and “hamochi”. By the way, it is customary to eat the hamo often during Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto and Tenjin Matsuri Festival in Osa
★Awaji Island is located in the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea, about 53 km from north to south, 22 km from east to west and 203 km in circumference. Awaji Island is the 11th largest island in Japan, including Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. It is the largest island in the Seto Inland Sea. According to Japan’s oldest history book, “Kojiki”, and Japan’s oldest authentic history book, “Nihonshoki”, Awaji Island was the first island in the Japanese archipelago created by Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto. From ancient times to the Heian period (794-1185), Awaji Island was known as the “Miketsu-kuni” and provided food for the imperial family and court. Known for its thriving agricultural and fishing industries, Awaji Island is also known as the “Island of Flowers, Milk and Oranges”. Awaji Island was connected to Shikoku with the completion of the Onaruto Bridge in 1985 and to Honshu with the completion of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in 1998.

【Hamo-docyu 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・・・)

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