Gion Matsuri - Yoiyama series

Posted by Celialee (Kyoto, Japan) on 19 July 2007 in Lifestyle & Culture and Portfolio.

This is the start of the Gion Matsuri, a traditional festival celebrated in Japan and held at Yasaka Shrine. It has been held for over 1100 years. The first festival was held in 869 when the city suffered from plague. The people prayed to the gods to save them and portable shrines were paraded through the streets.

For three nights before the main float parade (Yamaboko Junko), a night festival is held called Yoiyama where the public can admire the floats all lit up with lanters, stationed at specific places on the city streets. There are many stalls along the roads as well, selling food, drinks, toys and anything else you can think of. On the floats, the musicians will play traditional Gion bayashi songs lending to the atmosphere of Yoiyama. It is not complete without hearing the songs.

For these three nights, the streets of Shijo, Karasuma and smaller alleys are closed to traffic for a few hours to accomodate the public wanting to see the floats. Thousands descend to Kyoto for this event.

This picture is of the Iwato Yama. From the official website of Gion Matsuri:

'This drawn float is named after two Japanese mythical stories, "Kuniumi"(Making of the Land) and "Ama-no-iwato" (Heavenly Rock Cave) in the "Kojiki" (Record of Ancient Matters) and "Nihon-shoki" (the second oldest history book about ancient Japan). According to the myths, Amaterasu Omikami, the Sun Goddess, hid herself in "Ama-no-iwato", the legendary cave, out of anger towards her violent younger brother, Susanoo-nomikoto, and darkness covered the land. The multitudinous gods gathered at Yasu-no-kawara, the riverside in the Plain of Heaven, to discuss how to calm her anger and entice her out of the cave. They made singing birds that never get old and die (cockerels), cast a divine mirror, made 500 comma-shaped beads, planted Sakaki, the evergreen trees of Mt. Ama-no-kagu-yama, and had Ame-no-uzume-no-mikoto dance in front of the cave to induce the goddess to come out. Three dolls representing Izanagi-no-mikoto, Amaterasu-Omikami and Tajikarao-no-mikoto respectively, are set up on the float.'

Again, thanks everyone for taking the time to view this picture and leaving your comments! I truly appreciate it!

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