Kuronushi Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival

The information of Kuronushi Yama is presented here. Kuronushi Yama is a small-sized Yamahoko float (Kakiyama float), and its symbol is a pine tree reaching vertically to the sky. Kuronushi Yama is derived from the waka poet Otomo no Kuronushi. In reference to the yokyoku “Shiga”, the Goshintai of Kuronushi Yama represents the figure of Otomo no Kuronushi looking at the cherry blossoms.

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

【Kuronushi Yama Location Map ＆ Directions】

Address: Eboshi-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Shijo Station (about 8 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 6 minutes on foot)
Location: Kuronushi Yama is located on Muromachi-dori, about 60 meters north of the intersection of Muromachi-dori (north-south) and Rokkaku-dori (east-west).

【Kuronushi Yama History and Brief Overview】

The origin of Kuronushi Yama (黒主山) is not clear. Kuronushi 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 Kuronushi Yama was founded after the Onin War.

★Kuronushi Yama is derived from Otomo no Kuronushi, who was one of the rokkasen (six waka poet masters) in the Heian period (794-1185) and was mentioned in the yokyoku “Shiga”. In the yokyoku “Shiga”, the emperor’s vassals go to see the mountain cherry blossoms and meet two woodcutters, one young and one old, resting in the shade of the flowers with cherry blossom branches for the firewood. When the vassal asks why he is resting in the shade of the flowers, the old man tells him the reason he put the flowers for the firewood, quoting the waka poet of Otomo no Kuronushi, and asks for forgiveness because it is in memory of Otomo no Kuronushi. He also says that he was originally called Otomo no Kuronushi, but now considers himself the god of the mountains. That night, the spirit of Otomo no Kuronushi appears as Shiga Myojin to the group of vassals resting in the shade of the flowers, and he performs a kagura dance amidst a snowstorm of flowers.
★Otomo no Kuronushi is said to be a descendant of the 39th Emperor Kobun or the 3rd son of Sarumaru Dayu. Otomo Kuroshu is also said to have been a member of the Otomo no Muranushi family of Otomo-go, Shiga District, Omi Province (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture), and is enshrined as a deity at Kuroshu Shrine (Minamishiga, Otsu City). In the Jougan period (859-877), he was appointed as the shinshibetto of Mitsui Temple (Enjoji Temple) in Omi (Shiga). Otomo no Kuronushi was counted as one of the rokkasen (six waka poet masters), and that he was honored by offering a fuzokuka (folk song) at the Dijosai (festival) and a waka poem at the Ishiyama-dera Temple visit of the 59th Emperor Uda.
*reference・・・Kuronushi Yama website

【Features (subject to change)】

★Kuronushi Yama weighs about 0.67 tons. (2008 Data) Kuronushi Yama is marked by a pine tree reaching into the sky.
★The figure of Otomo no Kuronushi (Goshintai) has an inscription that it was created by Tsuji Matashichiro Komamotoju in May 1789. In reference to the yokyoku “Shiga”, the figure of Otomo no Kuronushi looking at the cherry blossoms. The old costumes of Otomo no Kuronushi were the “Konnoji Kikukarakusamon Kinran Kosode (Chrysanthemum Arabesque Pattern)” with an inscription dated 1675 in the early Edo period (1603-1868), and the “Moegiroji Botanmon Iroiri Kinran Oguchihakama (Peony Pattern)” with an inscription dated 1711 in the middle of the Edo period.
★The cherry blossoms decorated on Kuronushi Yama are said to ward off bad things if they are placed at the door of the house, just as chimaki is said to ward off bad luck.
★The mizuhiki is the shichin with the cloud dragon pattern, the mae-kake (front) is the nishiki with the five-clawed dragon pattern, which is a reconstruction of the old nishiki said to have been worn by Emperor Banreki at the time of his accession, and the do-kake (side) is the tsudurenishiki with a flower and butterfly pattern. The miokuri with the peony phoenix pattern was replaced by a replica in 2004. In addition, the miokuri with the “Takarachirashi Gakukarako Kiyu-zu”, which is used alternately every two years, was also made into a replica. The embroidery of the ato-kake with the hiryu (flying dragon) pattern was newly made in 2000. The Chinese tsudureori of the old mae-kake with the “Hato Hiryu-zu (flying dragon)” is the 16th century Min dynasty textile that the last ruler of the Ryukyus, King Sho Nei-ou, gave to his teacher Taichu-shonin. It is now kept in the Kyoto National Museum.
★Chimaki, which has the benefits of preventing theft and disease, hand towels, sensu (fans), etc. are available for purchase.

【Events (confirmation required)】

★In Latter Festival Yoiyama from July 21st to July 23rd, Komagata-chochin lanterns of Kuronushi 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 Kuronushi Yama depart from Karasuma-Oike and parade along Oike-dori, Kawaramachi-dori, and Shijo-dori.

【Kuronushi 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・・・）