Taishi Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival

The information of Taishi Yama is presented here. Taishi Yama is a small-sized Yamahoko float (Kakiyama float), and its symbol is the cedar tree that extends vertically to the sky. Unlike other Yama floats that use a pine tree as the shinmatsu, Taishi Yama is the only Yama float that uses a cedar tree as the shinmatsu. Taishi Yama is themed after Prince Shotoku-taishi, who served as regent during the Asuka period (592-710).

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

【Taishi Yama Location Map ＆ Directions】

Address: Taishiyama-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Shijo Station (about 15 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 17 minutes on foot)
Location: Taishi Yama is located on Aburanokoji-dori, about 90 meters west of the intersection of Aburanokoji-dori (north-south) and Bukkoji-dori (east-west).

【Taishi Yama History and Brief Overview】

The origin of Taishi Yama (太子山) is not clear. In the “Gionshaki”, which describes the names of Yamahoko floats and places in the middle of the Muromachi period (1336-1573) before the Onin War (1467-1477), it is written as “Taishi Hoku 太子ほく (between Gojo Bomon Aburakoji and Takatsuji)”, and Taishi Yama is said to have already been founded before the Onin War. It is said that Taishi Yama used to be a Hoko float rather than a Yama float. At the same time, “Taishi Hoku (between Oshikoji and Sanjo Momonmae)” was also built by other towns in Latter Festival.

★Taishi Yama is derived from the legend that Prince Shotoku-taishi, the prince of the 31st Emperor Yomei, went into the mountains in search of good wood when Prince Shotoku-taishi founded Shitenno-ji Temple in Osaka Prefecture, was taught the sacred tree by an old man, and built Rokkakudo.
★Prince Shotoku-taishi is also known as Prince Umayado no oji, Prince Toyotomimi no oji (Prince Toyosatomimi no oji), and Prince Jogu-taishi. Prince Shotoku-taishi was born in 574 as the son of the 31st Emperor Yomei and Anahobe no Hashihito, the 3rd daughter of the 29th Emperor Kinmei. Prince Shotoku-taishi was intelligent from an early age, and as the crown prince and regent of the 33rd Emperor Suiko, who was the first female empress in history and his aunt, he devoted himself to domestic and foreign affairs and other politics, establishing the Kani Junikai (12th level of the crown) and the Kenpo Junanajo (17th article of the constitution), and dispatching Ono no Imoko as the Kentoshi(envoy to the To dynasty (Chaina)). He also devoted himself to the promotion of Buddhism, writing the “Sangyo Gisho” and founding temples called the “Shichidaiji (Seven Great Temples)”, including Shitenno-ji Temple, Horyu-ji Temple (Ikaruga-dera Temple), Chugu-ji Temple (Chugu-niji Temple), and Tachibana-dera Temple. Prince Shotoku-taishi died at Ikaruga Palace in 622.
*reference・・・Taishi Yama website

【Features (subject to change)】

★Taishi Yama weighs about 0.59 tons. (2008 Data) Taishi Yama is marked by cedar trees stretching into the sky.
★Taishi Yama has erected a cedar tree as the shinmatsu, not a pine tree, because Prince Shotoku-taishi himself went into the mountain in search of good wood when he built Shitenno-ji Temple. In addition, a small statue of Nyoirin Kannon is enshrined in the cedar tree.
★The Goshintai (deity figure) of Prince Shotoku-taishi is a young boy, holding an axe in his right hand and an akome-ogi (fan) in his left hand. The akome-ogi (fan) is a fan bound with a series of thin plates of elongated cypress.
★The mae-kake (front) is the embroidery of Abokyu on scarlet rasa ground, the do-kake (side) is the Indian embroidery of “Kinji Kujaku Karakusa-zu (peacock)”, and the mizuhiki is the kumihimo Shipoami with a mesh pattern. The nishikiori with a flying dragon design on the wave of the mizuhiki was newly made in 2003. The square hardware is decorated with flying dragons. Taishi Yama’s unique tsurimaku was newly made in in 2007.
★Chimaki with cedar leaves, which has the benefits of wisdom and substitution, ema (votive picture tablet), wisdom charms, cedar charms, etc. are available for purchase.

【Events (confirmation required)】

★In Former Festival Yoiyama from July 14th to July 16th, Komagata-chochin lanterns of Taishi Yama are lit and Gion-bayashi (Gion Matsuri music) is played in the evening.
★In Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko (Float Procession, Yamaboko Parade) on July 17th, Yamahoko floats, including Taishi Yama depart from Shijo-Karasuma and parade along Shijo-dori, Kawaramachi-dori, and Oike-dori.

【Taishi 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・・・）