Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate of Gion Matsuri

The information of Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate is presented here. Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate is held every year from July 18th to July 21th. Before Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko on July 24th, 11 Yamahoko floats are assembled using the traditional technique known as “nawa-garami” which involves the use of the rough straw ropes without the use of nails, and then decorated with the kesohin (decoration) and other accessories.

• Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate 2024 Schedule
• Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate map ＆ access
• Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate brief overview

【Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate 2024 Schedule (confirmation required)】

Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate 2024 will be held from Thursday, July 18th to Sunday, July 21th, 2024.
The large Yamahoko floats (Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Ofune Hoko, and Taka Yama) will be assembled from the 18th and 19th, but the schedule varies by Yamahoko float.
●Gion Matsuri Festival 2024 will start on July 1st, 2024 and end on July 31st, 2024.
Gion Matsuri Festival Schedule (July 1st-31st)

【Yamahoko Map (Latter Festival) by Google Maps】

Yamaboko floats of Latter Festival are Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Hashibenkei Yama, Jomyo Yama, Hachiman Yama, Koi Yama, Kuronushi Yama, Ennogyoja Yama, Suzuka Yama, Taka Yama and Ofune Hoko

【Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate of Gion Matsuri brief overview】

Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate (山鉾建て（後祭）) of Gion Matsuri Festival (祇園祭) is held every year from July 18th to July 21th before Latter Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) on July 24th. In Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate, the parts of 11 Yamahoko floats taken out of the storage room are assembled using the traditional technique known as “nawa-garami” which involves the use of the rough straw ropes without the use of nails, and then decorated with the kesohin (decoration) and other accessories.
The large Yamahoko floats are assembled by tetsudai-kata, daiku-kata, and kuruma-kata, which are called “sakuji sanyaku (sakuji sansha, sakuji-kata)”. First, tetsudai-kata assemble the dogumi (rogumi), which is the basic structure of Yamahoko float, then daiku-kata assemble hoko-yane (float roof) and hayashi-dai (music stand), which is the top of Yamahoko float, and finally, kuruma-kata attach the wheels to Yamahoko float after the decorations are completed. The large Yamahoko floats are sometimes laid down horizontally and then raised vertically with a winch. On July 19th, Matsu-torishiki is held in which Kitakannon Yama and Minamikannon Yama select two pine trees cut down in Narutaki at by the rock-paper-scissors and the lottery. By the way, if you want to enjoy Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate, we recommend Shinmachi-dori, where Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, and Ofune Hoko are lined up. After Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate is completed, Latter Festivall Yamahoko-hikizome is held on July 20th and 21st. On July 20th, Kitakannon Yama, Minamikannon Yama, Ofune Hoko, and Taka Yama are pulled, and on July 21st, Hashibenkei Yama is carried.

★Dates and times in 2023 (Dates and times are subject to change or cancellation without notice.)
●Kitakannon Yama : July 19th – 20th, 6:00 –
●Minamikannon Yama : July 18th – 20th, 8:00 –
●Hashibenkei Yama : July 21st, 8:00 –
●Koi Yama : July 19th, 9:00 –
●Jomyo Yama : July 20th, 18:30 –
●Kuronushi Yama : July 19th, 8:00 –
●Ennogyoja Yama : July 20th, 8:00 –
●Suzuka Yama : July 20th, 8:00 –
●Hachiman Yama : Preparation from the early morning of July 20th, set up on the street around 16:00
●Ofune Hoko : July 18th – 20th, 7:00 –
●Taka Yama : July 18th – 20th, 8:00 –

★In general, “nawa-garami” is made by alternating vertical and horizontal winding, and is called “o-cho musubi (male butterfly knot)”, “me-cho musubi (female butterfly knot)”, “ebi musubi (shrimp knot)”, “tsuru musubi (crane knot)”, “kame musubi (turtle knot)”, “yawata-maki”, etc., depending on the shape of the rough straw ropes. It is said that in “nawa-garami”, even the parts that cannot be seen can be made to look beautiful. “Nawa-garami” is said to bring good luck with the numbers 3, 5, 7, and so on. It seems that the fixing by “nawa-garami” has the advantage of being able to absorb the distortion caused by the vibration during Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). Incidentally, it is said that the rough straw ropes used in “nawa-garami” can be about 5 kilometers long in the case of the large Yamahoko float. It is said that the large Yamahoko float is about 25 meters high and weighs about 10 tons.
★”Sakuji sanyaku (tetsudai-kata, daiku-kata, and kuruma-kata)” are basically not residents of yamahoko-cho (yamahoko towns), but they are entrusted with Yamahoko-tate and Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade). In Yamahoko-Junko, tetsudai-kata act as ondo-tori, directing hiki-kata (float pullers) with the sensu (fan) and the ondo (shout), daiku-kata act as yane-kata (roof), avoiding obstacles such as electric wires, and kuruma-kata adjust the direction of Yamahoko-Junko.

【Latter Festival Yamahoko-tate 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・・・）