Jomyo Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival

The information of Jomyo Yama is presented here. Jomyo Yama is a small-sized Yamahoko float (Kakiyama float), and its symbol is the Goshintai (deity figure) of Tsutsui Jomyo and Ichirai Hoshi. Unlike other Kakiyama floats that use a pine tree as the shinmatsu, Jomyo Yama has no pine tree and can be classified as a Yatai float. The former armor (yoroi) of Tsutsui Jomyo, “Kurokawa Odoshikata Shirodomaru”, is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

• Location Map ＆ Directions
• History and Brief Overview
• Features (subject to change)
• Events (confirmation required)

【Jomyo Yama Location Map ＆ Directions】

Address: Honeya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Shijo Station (about 7 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 5 minutes on foot)
Location: Jomyo Yama is located on Rokkaku-dori, about 40 meters west of the intersection of Karasuma-dori (north-south) and Rokkaku-dori (east-west).

【Jomyo Yama History and Brief Overview】

The origin of Jomyo Yama (浄妙山) 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 “Shaumeu Yama しゃうめう山 (between Shijo Bomon Karasuma and Muromachi)”, and Jomyo Yama is said to have already been founded before the Onin War.

★Jomyo Yama is derived from the battle for the first position (bridge battle) between the monk-soldier Tsutsui Jomyo and Ichirai Houshi at the Ujigawa-no-tatakai (Battle of Ujigawa) in 1180 at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). When Tsutsui Jomyo was about to cross the bridge to take the first position in the battle, Ichirai Houshi, coming from behind, jumped over Tsutsui Jotae’s head and took the first position, saying, “Ashusorou, Gomenare (I am sorry). Jomyo Yama is also called “Ashusorou Yama” because of the battle for the first position in the Ujigawa-no-tatakai (Battle of Ujigawa), and “Birodo Yama” because of the velvet weave on the do-kake (side). Also, although the Ujigawa-no-tatakai (Battle of Ujigawa) ended in victory for the Heike (Heishi) clan, the Heike (Heishi) clan was subsequently destroyed, so Jomyo Yama is said to be “Kachiun-no-Yama (Yama Float of Winning Fortune).
★Tsutsui Jomyo is a monk-soldier of the Jomyobo of Miidera Temple (Onjoji Temple) in Omi (Shiga Prefecture). In 1180, when Minamoto no Yorimasa, Mochihito-ou who was the 3rd prince of the 77th Emperor Go-Shirakawa, and other leaders raised an army to overthrow the Heike (Heishi) clan, Tsutsui Jomyo participated in the Ujigawa-no-tatakai (Battle of Ujigawa) and killed 83 Heike (Heishi) fighters, but was himself shot by 63 arrows, 5 of which penetrated the inside of his armor.
★It is said that Ichirai Houshi was a disciple of Tsutsui Jomyo.
*reference・・・Jomyo Yama website

【Features (subject to change)】

★Jomyo Yama weighs about 0.78 tons. (2008 Data) There is no pine tree stretching into the sky to be seen on Jomyo Yama.
★The Goshintai (deity figure) of Tsutsui Jomyo and Ichirai Houshi are depicted as Ichirai Houshi jumping over Tsutsui Jomyo’s head. The left hand of Ichirai Houshi and the head of Tsutsui Jomyo are connected only by a wooden wedge, and several arrows are pierced into the black lacquered bridge girders. In addition, the former armor (yoroi) of Tsutsui Jomyo, “Kurokawa Odoshikata Shirodomaru”, was made in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and designated as an Important Cultural Property.
★The mizuhiki is not a cloth, but a carving with a wave pattern. The miokuri (back) is the kagariori with the cloud-dragon pattern woven by Motoyama Zen’emon. The do-kake (side) was the velvet woven with the “Kinki Shoga-zu)”, but it was replaced by the “Ryukyu Suisha-zu (water wheel)”, an original drawing by Hasegawa Tohaku. In addition, the mae-kake (front) with “Sakura-zu (cherry blossom)” based on the original drawing by Hasegawa Kyuzo and the ato-kake (back) with “Kaede-zu (maple)” based on the original drawing by Hasegawa Tohaku were newly made. The “Sakura-zu (Cherry Blossom)” and the “Kaede-zu (Maple)” are murals owned by Chishaku-in Temple.
★Chimaki, which have the benefit of good luck, hand towels, charms for victory, charms for traffic safety, etc. are available for purchase.

【Events (confirmation required)】

★In Latter Festival Yoiyama from July 21st to July 23rd, Komagata-chochin lanterns of Jomyo Yama are lit and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played in the evening.
★In Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) on July 24th, Yamahoko floats, including Jomyo Yama depart from Karasuma-Oike and parade along Oike-dori, Kawaramachi-dori, and Shijo-dori.

【Jomyo 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・・・）