- Home
- Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi (May 4th, 2024)
Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi (May 4th, 2024)
Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi of Aoi Matsuri Festival
Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi of Aoi Matsuri Festival is presented here. Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi is held every year on May 4th. However, Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi is a one-year rotation system for Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine. At Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi, Saio-dai, dressed in the junihitoe, purifies herself before Aoi Matsuri Festival. Saio-dai purify herself at the Nara-no-Ogawa (stream) in the case of Kamigamo Shrine and at the Mitarashi-ike (pond) in the case of Shimogamo Shrine.
- Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi Schedule
- Kamigamo Shrine Location Map & Directions
- Shimogamo Shrine Location Map & Directions
- Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi brief overview
【Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi 2024 Schedule (confirmation required)】
Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi 2024 will be held from 10:00 on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. In 2024, Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi will be held at Shimogamo Shrine.
Aoi Matsuri Festival 2024
【Kamigamo Shrine Location Map & Directions】
Address: 339 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Kamigmojinja-mae bus stop (short walk), Subway Kitayama Station (about 15 minutes on foot)
【Shimogamo Shrine Location Map & Directions】
Address: 59 Izumigawa-cho, Shimogamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Shimogamojinja-mae bus stop (short walk), Keihan Demachiyanagi Station (about 10 minutes on foot)
【Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi brief overview】
Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi (斎王代禊の儀, Saio-dai ika Nyoninretsu Misogi-shinji, 斎王代以下女人列御禊神事) is the zen-gi (preliminary event) of Aoi Matsuri Festival (葵祭) Roto-no-gi (Period Procession),which is held every year on May 15th, and is held every year on May 4th. (In case of bad weather, Roto-no-gi is postponed to the next day, the 16th.) However, Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi is a one-year rotation system for Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine. In addition, Saio purification was once held in the Kamo-gawa River, but it seems to have been discontinued in the early Kamakura period (1185-1333) when the Kamo Saiin was abolished.
【Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi of Shimogamo Shrine】
At Shimogamo Shrine, Saio-dai purifies herself at the Mitarashi-ike (pond) in front of Mitarashi Shrine (Inoue Shrine). The women in the procession, except for Saio-dai, purify themselves with the ikushi. Saio-dai, dressed in the junihitoe (twelve-layered robe), purifies herself by dipping both hands into the Mitarashi-ike (pond), and then draining the paper with which Saio-dai wiped her hands into the Mitarashi-ike (pond).
The women in the procession, except for Saio-dai, such as Menowarawa, Myobu, Nyojyu, Naishi, Nyobetto, and Unume, purify themselves by placing the ikushi on the left and right sides of their chests, blowing on it, breaking it in half, and throwing it into the Mitarashi-gawa (river) to purify themselves. The ikushi is discarded when crossing the bridge over the Mitarashi-gawa (river).
★The Mitarashi-ike (pond) is located in front of Mitarashi Shrine (Inoue Shrine) and is the purification place of Shimogamo Shrine. The Mitarashi-dango (dumplings) are dumplings shaped like water bubbles that come out of the Mitarashi-ike (pond), and Mitarashi Shrine is said to be the birthplace of the Mitarashi-dango (dumplings). Mitarashi Shrine enshrines Seoritsuhime-no-mikoto, one of the Haraidi Yonshin (Hayaakitsuhime, Ibukidonushi, and Hayasasurahime) and the goddess of banishing misfortune and evil.
【Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi of Kamigamo Shrine】
At Kamigamo Shrine, Saio-dai purifies herself in the Nara-no-Ogawa (stream) that runs through the shrine grounds. The women in the procession, except Saio-dai, purify themselves with the katashiro. Saio-dai, dressed in the junihitoe, purifies herself by dipping both hands into the Nara-no-Ogawa (stream) and then draining the paper with which Saio-dai wiped her hands into the Nara-no-Ogawa (stream).
The women in the procession, except for Saio-dai, such as menowarawa, myobu, nyojyu, naishi, nyobetto, and unume, purify themselves by placing the katashiro on their left breast and others, blowing on it, and throwing it into the Nara-no-Ogawa (stream) to purify themselves.
★The Nara-no-Ogawa (stream) is fed by the Myojin-seki (weir) on the Kamo-gawa River and becomes the Myojin-gawa River, then changes its name to the Miare-gawa River near the Miaredokoro of Kamigamo Shrine, and then changes its name to the Mitarashi-gawa River when it enters the shrine grounds. And when the Mitarashi-gawa River joins the Omonoi-gawa River on the west side of the Ro-mon gate, it is renamed the Nara-no-Ogawa (stream), and when it leaves the shrine grounds, it changes its name back to the Myojin-gawa River, and joins the Lake Biwa Canal Branch Line. It is said that the name Nara-no-Ogawa comes from the fact that it flows near Nara Shrine and that it flows through the oak trees (nara-no-ki).
★Saio-dai was a substitute for the Saio, who was once chosen from among the emperor’s unmarried daughters to serve at the Aoi Matsuri festival. In 810, the Kamo Saioin of the Kamo Shrine (Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine) was established and Uchiko naishinno, the daughter of the 52nd Emperor Saga, served as the 1st Saio. Since 1956, Saio-dai has been selected from unmarried ordinary women in Kyoto City.
★Kamigamo Shrine is officially called Kamo Wakeikaduchi Shrine. Kamigamo Shrine is said to have its origins in ancient times, when the enshrined deity, Kamo Wakeikaduchi-no-mikoto, descended to Koyama, located north-northwest of the present shrine building. It is said that Kamo Jingu Shrine was built in 677, and Kamigamo Shrine was founded before that time.
★Shimogamo Shrine is officially called Kamo Mioya Shrine. Shimogamo Shrine is said to have originated during the reign of the first Emperor Jinmu (660 B.C.-582 B.C.), when the deity Kamo-Taketsunumi-no-mikoto descended on Mt. Mikage-yama, located at the western foot of Mt. Hiei-zan.
【Saio-dai Misogi-no-gi remarks】
Always check with the organizer for event information. Information on this site is for reference only. Contents of the event may have changed.
葵祭2024日程(行事・・・)