Latter Festival Yoiyama of Gion Matsuri

The information of Latter Festival Yoiyama is presented here. Latter Festival Yoiyama is three days from July 21st to July 23rd. In the evening of Yoiyama, Komagata-chochin (paper lanterns) are lit on 11 Yamahoko floats, and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played on Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Taka Yama and Ofune Hoko. Unlike Former Festival (Saki Matsuri), Latter Festival (Ato Matsuri) has no food stalls or pedestrian paradises. The site of Yoiyama is yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town), which is lined with 11 Yamahoko floats. Yoiyama is affected by the day of the week and the weather, but the number of people increases from around noon, and it becomes very crowded after evening. However, the number of people during Latter Festival (Ato Matsuri) is smaller than that of Former Festival (Saki Matsuri).

• Latter Festival Yoiyama Schedule 2024
• Latter Festival Yoiyama map ＆ access
• Latter Festival Yoiyama brief overview

【Latter Festival Yoiyama Schedule 2024 (confirmation required)】

Latter Festival Yoiyama 2024 will be held from Sunday, July 21st to Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024.
By the way, Former Festival Yoiyama 2024 will be held from Sunday July 14th to Tuesday July 16th, 2024.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)

【Latter Festival Yoiyama map ＆ access】

Address: Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

★The nearest stations are Shijo Station on the subway Karasuma Line and Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line, and the nearest bus stop is Shijo Karasuma.

【Latter Festival Yoiyama of Gion Matsuri brief overview】

Latter Festival Yoiyama (宵山（後祭）) of Gion Matsuri is a small festival held before Kanko-sai (portable shrine procession) on July 24th. Yoiyama is held from July 21st to July 23rd, also known as Yoiyoiyoiyama on July 21st, Yoiyoiyama on July 22nd, and Yoiyama on July 23rd.
Yoiyama is the most popular part of Gion Matsuri Festival (Gion Festival) and can be more crowded than Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko, depending on the day of the week and the weather. Yoiyama is held in yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town), where 11 Yamahoko floats line the streets. The area of Shijo-dori from Karasuma-dori on the east side to Shinmachi-dori on the west side (north and south).
●Hoko (鉾) : –
●Hikiyama (曳山) : Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Taka Yama
●Funehoko (船鉾) : Ofune Hoko
●Kasahoko (傘鉾) : –
●Kakiyama (舁山) : Hashibenkei Yama, Jomyo Yama, Hachiman Yama, Koi Yama, Kuronushi Yama, Ennogyoja Yama, Suzuka Yama

★In the evening of Yoiyama, Komagata-chochin (paper lanterns) are lit on 11 Yamahoko floats, and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played by hayashi-kata (music group) of Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Taka Yama and Ofune Hoko. The time and interval of the performance varies according to yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town). On July 23rd, the last day of Yoiyama, Hiyori-Kagura is held. At Hiyori-Kagura, hayashi-kata (music group) of Yamahoko floats dedicate Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) at Shijo Otabisho to pray for good weather on July 24th, when Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko and Kanko-sai are held. After Hiyori-Kagura, Abare Kannon is also held at Minamikannon Yama. In Abare Kannon, the statue of Yoryu Kannon is wrapped around a rendai (lotus stand) and goes around the town.
★While touring around yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town), visitors can not only enjoy Yamahoko floats, but also collect red seals (stamps) and view the decorations of the kaisho (meeting hall) in yamahoko-cho. Visitors can also enjoy Byoubu-matsuri in yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town). Since there are less than half the number of Yamahoko floats in Latter Festival (Ato Matsuri) compared to Former Festival (Saki Matsuri), and Yamahoko floats are lined up in a relatively small area, it is recommended to visit all of them.
★It is not clear when Yoiyama of Gion Matsuri became more lively, but it is said to have become more lively around the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868). An article written by Motoori Norinaga in his “Zaikyo Nikki” in 1756 describes how chochin (paper lanterns) were lit, gold byoubu (folding screens) and other decorations were displayed, and relatives were invited to drink sake and enjoy Yoiyama.

【Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music)】
Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is also affectionately known as “Konchikichin”. It is said that Gion-bayashi began to be played at the end of the Muromachi period (1333-1573), inspired by Nohgaku (Sarugaku), and was arranged in its present form during the Edo period (1603-1868).
Although some parts of Gion-bayashi are common to yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town), most of them are unique to each yamahoko-cho. Yamahoko-cho has a distinctive sound and consists of kane (gongs), which produce a unique tone and rhythm, fue (flutes), which play the melody, and taiko (drums), which control the tempo and the entire performance.

【Komagata-chochin (lanterns)】
Komagata-chochin (lanterns) are lit on Yamahoko floats and others during Yoiyama. The name “Komagata-chochin” is said to be derived from the overall shape of the bale-shaped lanterns connected vertically and horizontally, which resemble shogi (Japanese chess) pieces. Komagata-chochin vary in shape, size, color, pattern, and characters, and are unique to each yamahoko-cho (yamahoko town). However, since Gion Matsuri Festival is a festival held at Yasaka Shrine, Komagata-chochin use the sacred crests of Yasaka Shrine, such as “Hidari-Mitsudomoe” and “Goka-ni-Karahana”, and the characters “Go-Shinto” are written.

【Latter Festival Yoiyama 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・・・）