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Toro Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival
Toro Yama of Gion Matsuri Festival
The information of Toro Yama is presented here. Toro Yama is a small-sized Yamahoko float (Kakiyama float, Yatai float), and its symbol is a mechanical praying mantis. Toro Yama is the only one of Yamahoko floats that has the mechanical praying mantis that moves. It is said that the first praying mantis was created more than 600 years ago in 1376 during the Nanbokucho period (1376-1368).
- Location Map & Directions
- History and Brief Overview
- Features (subject to change)
- Events (confirmation required)
【Toro Yama Location Map & Directions】
Address: Toroyama-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Subway Shijo Station (about 15 minutes on foot), Hankyu Karasuma Station (about 13 minutes on foot)
Location: Toro Yama is located on Nishinotoin-dori, about 30 meters north of the intersection of Nishinotoin-dorii (north-south) and Shijo-dori (east-west).
【Toro Yama History and Brief Overview】
Toro Yama (蟷螂山) was founded in 1376 during the Nanbokucho period (1337-1392). Chin Tainen (Chin Uiro Tainen Soki), who was an immigrant from China and the ancestor of the Uiro family who made Uiro, paralleled the battle of the court nobleman Shijo Takasuke, who lived in the same town, against the army of Ashikaga Yoshiakira, the 2nd Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, with the story of “Toro-no-Ono (Axe of the Praying Mantis)”, and Toro Yama is said to have originated from the fact that a praying mantis was carried on the gosho-guruma (court carriage) of the Shijo family and paraded. Incidentally, Shijo Takasuke was active at the Southern Court with Konoe Tsunetada and Toin Saneyo during during the Nanbokucho period (1376-1368), but was killed in 1352 in the battle against the forces of Ashikaga Yoshinori, the 2nd Muromachi Shogun, to protect the 97th Emperor Go-Murakami. It is said that the battle was like the story of “Toro-no-One (Axe of the Praying Mantis)”, where the powerless stand up to the strong. The story of “Toro-no-Ono (Axe of the Praying Mantis)” is derived from a Chinese legend that a praying mantis, about to be hit by a car, raises its sickle to confront it.
Toro Yama is written as “Kamakiri Yama かまきり山 (between Shijo Nishinotoin and Nishikikoji)” 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). Toro Yama is also depicted in paintings depicting Gion Matsuri Festival, such as “Rakuchu Rakugai-zu Byobu (Folding Screen)”. Later, in 1864 at the end of the Edo period (1603-1867), most of Toro Yama was destroyed by Genji-no-taika (Genji Great Fire, Kinmon Incident), and was rebuilt in 1981 for the first time in 117 years.
★Shijo Takasuke was born as the son of Shijo Takazane, a court nobleman. His father died young, and he was raised by his grandfather, Shijo Takaaki. He was trusted by the 96th Emperor Go-Daigo, the 1st Emperor of the Southern Court, and was deeply involved in the plot to overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate (Shochu-no-hen (Shochu Incident) and Genko-no-hen (Genko Incident)), but after the fall of Mt. Kasagi, he became a monk and went into hiding. After the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate, he returned to the secular life and participated in the Kenmu-no-shinsei (new Kenmu government). After the fall of the Kenmu-no-shinsei (new Kenmu government), he joined the Southern Court and assisted the 97th Emperor Go-Murakami, the 2nd of the Southern Court, but was later defeated and killed in the battle with Ashikaga Yoshiakira, the 2nd Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, at Otokoyama Hachiman Shrine (Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine).
*reference・・・Toro Yama website
【Features (subject to change)】
★Toro Yama weighs about 1.22 tons. (2008 Data) Toro Yama is marked by a praying mantis.
★Toro Yama is the only Yamahoko float of Gion Matsuri Festival in which the head, sickle, and wings of the praying mantis and the wheels of the gosho-guruma (court carriage) are moved by a mechanical device called a karakuri.
★The gosho-guruma (court carriage) and the embroidery are said to be “kinshi-no-hirado”.
★The “Zuisho Kakuyoku-zu (crane)” of the mae-kake (front), “Zuien Fuyu-zu” of the right do-kake (side), “Zuiko Kujaku-zu (peacock)” of the left do-kake (side), and “Zuien Hisho-zu” of the miokuri (back) are yuzen dyes by yuzen artist Haneda Tokio.
★Chimaki with praying mantis, which has the benefits of academic achievement, good luck and disaster prevention, handkerchiefs, sensu (fans), T-shirts, coasters, etc. are available for purchase.
【Events (confirmation required)】
★In Former Festival Yamahoko-hikizome on July 13th, newly assembled Toro Yama is pulled, just as in the actual Former Festival Yamahoko-Junko on July 17th.
★In Former Festival Yoiyama from July 14th to July 16th, Komagata-chochin lanterns of Toro 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 Toro Yama depart from Shijo-Karasuma and parade along Shijo-dori, Kawaramachi-dori, and Oike-dori.
【Toro 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・・・)