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Mikoshi-arai of Gion Matsuri (July 10th and 28th, 2024)
Mikoshi-arai of Gion Matsuri
The information of Mikoshi-arai is presented here. Mikoshi-arai is held every year on July 10th and July 28th. In Mikoshi-arai, Nakagoza Mikoshi, one of three mikoshi (Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi, and Nishigoza Mikoshi), is carried from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo Ohashi Bridge and is purified by sprinkling the divine water pumped from the Kamo-gawa River using Sakaki. It is said that bathing in the divine water sprinkled by Sakaki will bring good luck in warding off bad luck.
【Mikoshi-arai 2024 Schedule (confirmation required)】
Mikoshi-arai 2024 will be held on Wednesday, July 10th, and Sunday, July 28th, 2024 at 18:00. Mikoshi (portable shrine) will be purified at around 20:00 on Shijo Ohashi Bridge.
●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)
【Mikoshi-arai of Gion Matsuri brief overview】
Mikoshi-arai (神輿洗) of Gion Matsuri Festival (祇園祭) is held every year on July 10th and July 28th.
Mikoshi-arai on July 10th is a ritual to purify the mikoshi (portable shrine) before Shinko-sai (Oide) held on July 17th. Mikoshi-arai on July 28th is a ritual to purify the mikoshi (portable shrine) after Kanko-sai (Okaeri) held on July 24th, before it is stored in the mikoshi storehouse. In Mikoshi-arai on July 10th and July 28th, after the hokoku-sai (ritual), Nakagoza Mikoshi, one of the three mikoshi (Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi, and Nishigoza Mikoshi), is purified. In Mikoshi-arai, Michishirabe-no-gi (Michikiyome-no-gi) is first held, in which O-taimatsu (large torch) ignited by Okera-bi (sacred fire) is used to purify Shijo-dori from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo Ohashi Bridge. Then, the flame of O-taimatsu (large torch) is divided into four Sho-taimatsu (small torches) and surrounds the front and back of Nakagoza Mikoshi. Nakagoza Mikoshi, surrounded by four Sho-taimatsu (small torches), was carried from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo Ohashi Bridge and is purified by Sakaki to sprinkling divine water pumped from the Kamo-gawa River (Miya-gawa River). It is said that bathing in the divine water sprinkled by Sakaki will bring good luck in warding off bad luck. It is also said that the charcoal extinguished by O-taimatsu (large torch) and Sho-taimatsu (small torchs) also has the benefit of warding off bad luck. Incidentally, on July 10th, when Mikoshi-arai is held, Omukae-Chochin is also held to welcome Nakagoza Mikoshi at the stone steps of Yasaka Shrine. After Mikoshi-arai on July 10th, three mikoshi (portable shrines) are enshrined in Buden (Important Cultural Property) until Shinko-sai (Oide) on July 17th. In addition, after Mikoshi-arai on July 24th, three mikoshi (portable shrines) are stored in the mikoshi storehouse (Important Cultural Property).
★Mikoshi-arai is held every year on July 10th and July 28th. In Mikoshi-arai, Nakagoza Mikoshi, one of the three mikoshi (Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi, and Nishigoza Mikoshi), is carried from Yasaka Shrine to Shijo Ohashi Bridge and is purified by sprinkling the divine water pumped from the Kamo-gawa River using Sakaki. It is said that bathing in the divine water sprinkled by Sakaki will bring good luck in warding off bad luck.
★Nakagoza Mikoshi carries the divine spirit of Susano-no-mikoto, the main deity of Yasaka Shrine. Nakagoza Mikoshi is said to weigh about 2 tons. Higashigoza Mikoshi carries the divine spirit of Kushiinadahime-no-mikoto, the wife of Susano-no-mikoto. Higashigoza Mikoshi is said to weigh about 2 tons. Nishigoza Mikoshi carries the divine spirits of Yahashira-no-mikogami, the eight children of Susano-no-mikoto. Nishigoza Mikoshi is said to weigh about 3.2 tons.
★Shijo Ohashi Bridge is a bridge built over the Kamo-gawa River, which flows through Kyoto City from north to south. According to the “Shake Kiroku (Record)” of Yasaka Shrine, Shijo Ohashi Bridge is said to have its origins in 1142. After that, it was washed away and replaced many times, and the earliest record of it being washed away is said to be in 1228. By the way, Sanjo Ohashi Bridge on the north side and Gojo Ohashi Bridge on the south side are government bridges, and Shijo Ohashi Bridge was a small private bridge, but during the Edo period (1603-1868), it came to be managed by the Edo Shogunate as the Shogunate Bridge, along with Sanjo Ohashi Bridge and Gojo Ohashi Bridge. Shijo Ohashi Bridge was once a floating bridge, so it is said that mikoshi (portable shrines) cross the Kamo-gawa River, but large Yamahoko floats do not cross the Kamo-gawa River. Shijo Ohashi Bridge was built as a lattice girder bridge from 1874 to 1911 and as a reinforced concrete arch bridge from 1913 to 1941. The present Shijo Ohashi Bridge was built in 1942 as a steel continuous girder bridge with a length of about 65 meters and a width of about 25 meters.
★The Kamo-gawa River is a first-class river in the Yodo River system, which flows through Kyoto City from north to south. The Kamo-gawa River originates from Mt. Sajikigadake, which is about 896 meters above sea level in Kita-ku, Kyoto City, and has a length of about 35 kilometers, flowing south after joining the Takano River and joining the Katsura-gawa River at Shimotoba. Since ancient times, the upper reaches of the Kamo-gawa River have been considered a sacred place where the misogi (purification) took place. During the Heian period (794-1185), the nanase-barai (purification ceremony) was held monthly by the Onmyoji, and the hitogata on which the emperor breathed and stroked his body was sometimes floated down the Kamo-gawa River.
★According to the “Gion-e Saiki” established in 1757 in the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868), Shinko-sai was held on June 7th, Kanko-saii was held on June 14th, and Mikoshi-arai was held on the last day of May and June 18th. At Mikoshi-arai on the last day of May, Omukae-Chochin (lanterns) and nerimono were also paraded.
★Buden was built in 1903. In Buden, dedication ceremonies are held, and three mikoshi are enshrined during Gion Matsuri Festival. Buden is decorated with lanterns dedicated by Ryo-tei (restaurant) and Hanamachi oki-ya.
★Mikoshi-ko (Mikoshi Storehouse) was built in 1928. Mikoshi-ko stores Nakagoza Mikoshi, Higashigoza Mikoshi and Nishigoza Mikoshi, except during Gion Matsuri.
【Mikoshi-arai 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・・・)