Gion Matsuri - Yoiyama series

Posted by Celialee (Kyoto, Japan) on 21 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 is the picture of the back of the Fune Boko. Short description of the Fune Boko from the official website:

'The origin of the Fune Hoko (Fune means "a ship" or "a boat") is a story from Chronicles of Japan: Empress Jingu crossed the sea to conquer the Shilla Kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. The figure of Empress Jingu, stored inside the houseboat-shaped float, wears a mask, a crown, a long-sleeved jacket in dark blue and golden silk, a pair of intricately decorated scarlet pants and dignified scarlet amour. The Empress gave birth to the 15th Emperor of Ohjin. Following the Empress's example, the deity figure wears the bleached white clothes around its body, which are given away as maternity girdles for easy deliveries after the procession. The current hoko float was designed during the Hohreki Era (1751-1764) and was completed during the Tempo Era (1830-1843). The head of the boat is crowned by Geki, a legendary phoenix bird. The Geki is 1.3 meters in height and 2.7 meters in wingspan.'

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