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Gion Matsuri

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40: 884:, Kyoto's traditional textile-weaving district, while others have been imported from all over the world. In fact, thanks to a 1993 survey of the Gion Festival's imported textiles by a team of international textile conservationists and collectors, its unique textile collection is renowned amongst textile professionals worldwide. Musicians sit in the floats playing drums and flutes. The floats are pulled with ropes down the street and good luck favors are thrown from the floats to the crowd. 260: 424: 379: 913:, a temporary dwelling in central Kyoto. It's believed the deities purify all the neighborhoods along the way. They reside at the otabisho for a week, between the two floats' processions. On the 24th they are taken back to the Yasaka Shrine to their permanent dwelling. On the way back to the shrine, the procession stops at Shinsen-en, the original site of the first rituals in the year 869, the former Imperial garden. 917: 406: 508: 391: 490: 481: 472: 463: 454: 445: 436: 819: 277: 924:
Each year, the neighborhood associations which maintain the floats draw lots in early July. This lottery determines the order in which the floats will appear in the July 17 and 24 processions. These lots are presented in a special ceremony at the commence of the processions, during which the Mayor of
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wearing a ceremonial robe and wearing a golden phoenix, chosen as the sacred page of a deity from among merchant houses in Kyoto. After several weeks of special ablution ceremonies, he lives in isolation from the effects of contamination (such as inappropriate food and the presence of women) and is
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Over the centuries, some floats have been destroyed or otherwise lost, and in recent years several have been restored. Float neighborhood associations sometimes purchase antique tapestries to replace worn or destroyed ones, or commission replicas from industrial weavers in Kyoto, or design and
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commission new ones from the weavers of Kyoto's famous traditional Nishijin weaving district. When they are not in use, the floats and regalia are kept in special storehouses throughout the central district of Kyoto, or at Yasaka Shrine.
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evenings, Kyoto's downtown area is reserved for pedestrian traffic, and some traditional private houses near the floats open their entryways to the public, exhibiting family heirlooms in a custom known as the Folding Screen
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from Yasaka Shrine. This practice was repeated wherever an outbreak of plague occurred. By the year 1000, the festival became an annual event and it has since seldom failed to take place. During the civil
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festival, and its original purposes were purification and pacification of disease-causing entities. There are many ceremonies held during the festival, but it is best known for its two
891: 338:), central Kyoto was devastated, and the festival was halted for three decades in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Later in the 16th century, it was revived by the shogun 1180: 1308: 310:, one for each of the traditional provinces of Japan, were prepared and erected at Shinsen-en, a garden in the south of the imperial palace, along with 294:) to appease the gods thought to cause fire, floods, and earthquakes. In 869, when people were suffering from a plague attributed to vengeful spirits, 1278: 1258: 1283: 901:
On the evening of July 17, hundreds of men carry Yasaka Shrine's resident deities around diverse parishioners' neighborhoods in portable
555: 378: 1303: 533: 529: 1227: 1293: 1288: 1263: 359:, in which he describes the Gion Festival as one of "the 'three great festivals' of the old capital", along with the 423: 39: 1268: 1273: 828:, one of the first to begin the parade. Festival-goers take turns getting on the float through a side building. 518: 880:, and other historic and cultural figures. All the floats are decorated with diverse tapestries, some made in 1323: 1318: 1298: 537: 522: 405: 390: 259: 1313: 1174: 1090: 1022:
Brumann, Christoph (2009). "Outside the Glass Case: The Social Life of Urban Heritage in Kyoto".
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to determine the order of floats in the parade, conducted at the municipal assembly hall
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Attendants: about 30–40 pulling during procession, usually two men piloting with wedges
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recall the 66 halberds or spears used in the original purification ritual, and the 24
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The Gion Festival originated during an epidemic as part of a purification ritual (
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not allowed to touch the ground, so he is placed in a wagon. At the start of the
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The three nights leading up to each day of a procession are sequentially called
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Hondru, Angela (2014). "Matsuri -Essence of Japanese Spirituality-".
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Como, Michael (2007). "Horses, Dragons, and Disease in Nara Japan".
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Following is a list of selected annual events in the Gion Festival.
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Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
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Chapin, Helen B (1934). "The Gion Shrine and the Gion Festival".
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district, which gives the festival its name. It is formally a
1242: 127:, the festival's patron shrine, located in Kyoto's famous 942: 936: 929: 908: 902: 885: 867: 861: 855: 849: 843: 837: 801: 795: 786: 758: 750: 742: 734: 722: 713: 704: 696: 688: 680: 671: 663: 657: 638: 632: 601: 595: 582: 573: 412: 289: 244: 236: 228: 220: 195: 123:. Many events take place in central Kyoto and at the 119:, taking place annually during the month of July in 115:is one of the largest and most famous festivals in 84: 76: 68: 60: 52: 32: 1169:. Kyoto: 祇園祭山鉾連合会 Gion Festival Float Association. 1117:. Detroit: Omnigraphics Incorporated. p. 345. 981:Attendants: 14–24 people to pull, push or carry 842:parade are divided into two groups, the larger 767: 613: 349:The festival serves as an important setting in 311: 210: 106: 947:cuts the shimenawa with a swing of his sword. 776: 622: 322: 204: 187: 174: 161: 141: 100: 1165:Kajitani, Nobuko and Yoshida, Kojiro (1992). 892:Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties 8: 1179:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 536:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 384:Festival street with food and craft vendors 854:("mountain"), and are collectively called 29: 556:Learn how and when to remove this message 1075:Journal of the American Oriental Society 1167:祇園祭山鉾懸装品 Gion Festival Float Tapestries 1003: 374: 1172: 925:Kyoto dons the robes of a magistrate. 809:July 31: Closing service at Eki Shrine 152:, which take place on July 17 and 24. 27:Traditional Japanese Festival in Kyoto 1203:Romanian Economic and Business Review 1051:Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 806:with sacred water from the Kamo River 7: 1196: 1194: 1192: 1190: 1108: 1106: 1104: 1068: 1066: 1064: 1017: 1015: 1013: 1011: 1009: 1007: 534:adding citations to reliable sources 1309:9th-century establishments in Japan 306:. Sixty-six stylized and decorated 1225:Gion Matsuri Procession Route 2014 25: 1036:10.1111/j.1548-1425.2009.01135.x 962:Wheel diameter: about 1.9 m 670:July 13 (p.m.): Shrine visit by 656:July 13 (a.m.): Shrine visit by 506: 488: 479: 470: 461: 452: 443: 434: 422: 404: 389: 377: 227:(barbecued chicken on skewers), 38: 730:July 18–20: Building of floats 653:July 10–13: Building of floats 1: 1279:Tourist attractions in Kyoto 1259:Religious festivals in Japan 959:Height: about 27 meters 928:The Naginata Hoko depicts a 872:carry life-sized figures of 848:("halberd") and the smaller 706:Yoimiya shinshin hono shinji 33:Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri) 1284:Cultural festivals in Japan 1115:Holiday Symbols and Customs 975:Weight: 1,200–1,600 kg 943: 937: 930: 920:Niwatoriboko float at night 909: 903: 886: 868: 862: 856: 850: 844: 838: 802: 796: 787: 768: 759: 751: 743: 735: 723: 714: 705: 697: 689: 681: 672: 664: 658: 639: 633: 614: 602: 596: 583: 574: 413: 312: 290: 245: 237: 229: 221: 211: 196: 107: 1340: 956:Weight: about 12 tons 777: 623: 323: 205: 188: 175: 162: 142: 101: 37: 1243:https://gionfestival.org 594:July 7: Shrine visit by 47:during the Gion Festival 676:children of Kuse Shrine 243:(fried octopus balls), 1304:Summer events in Japan 978:Height: about 6 m 921: 829: 285: 268: 1113:Jones, Keith (2015). 919: 821: 627:, 'portable shrines') 429:Police standing ready 327:, 'portable shrines') 284:in Gion Matsuri 2014. 279: 262: 1151:Kawabata, Yasunari. 1024:American Ethnologist 894:in 1979, and on the 781:, 'flower parasols') 530:improve this section 890:were listed on the 785:July 24: Parade of 766:July 24: Parade of 757:July 24: Parade of 721:July 17: Parade of 712:July 17: Parade of 298:ordered prayers to 280:Traditional wooden 263:The parade held in 1294:970 establishments 1289:869 establishments 1264:Festivals in Kyoto 1230:2018-03-25 at the 1129:"祇園祭ぎゃらりぃ | 祇園祭とは" 922: 876:deities, Buddhist 830: 727:from Yasaka Shrine 709:, art performances 612:parade to welcome 498:Schedule of events 336:Ashikaga shogunate 286: 269: 1133:gionmatsuri-g.com 566: 565: 558: 351:Yasunari Kawabata 302:, the god of the 300:Susanoo-no-Mikoto 92: 91: 16:(Redirected from 1331: 1269:Shinto festivals 1211: 1210: 1198: 1185: 1184: 1178: 1170: 1162: 1156: 1149: 1143: 1142: 1140: 1139: 1125: 1119: 1118: 1110: 1099: 1098: 1070: 1059: 1058: 1046: 1040: 1039: 1019: 946: 941:on July 17, the 940: 933: 912: 906: 889: 871: 865: 859: 853: 847: 841: 805: 799: 791:to Yasaka Shrine 790: 782: 780: 779: 773: 762: 754: 746: 738: 726: 717: 708: 700: 692: 684: 675: 667: 661: 642: 636: 628: 626: 625: 619: 605: 599: 586: 577: 561: 554: 550: 547: 541: 510: 502: 492: 483: 474: 465: 456: 447: 438: 426: 416: 408: 393: 381: 361:Festival of Ages 328: 326: 325: 319: 293: 250: 242: 234: 226: 218: 217: 214: 208: 207: 199: 193: 191: 190: 180: 178: 177: 167: 165: 164: 147: 145: 144: 114: 113: 110: 104: 103: 53:Observed by 42: 30: 21: 1339: 1338: 1334: 1333: 1332: 1330: 1329: 1328: 1274:Shinto in Kyoto 1249: 1248: 1232:Wayback Machine 1220: 1215: 1214: 1200: 1199: 1188: 1171: 1164: 1163: 1159: 1153:The Old Capital 1150: 1146: 1137: 1135: 1127: 1126: 1122: 1112: 1111: 1102: 1072: 1071: 1062: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1021: 1020: 1005: 1000: 988: 972: 953: 907:shrines to the 816: 814:Yamaboko floats 800:, cleansing of 774: 637:, cleansing of 620: 562: 551: 545: 542: 527: 511: 500: 493: 484: 475: 466: 457: 448: 439: 430: 427: 418: 409: 400: 394: 385: 382: 373: 356:The Old Capital 320: 274: 257: 215: 202: 194:. During these 185: 172: 159: 148:processions of 139: 111: 98: 48: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1337: 1335: 1327: 1326: 1324:Gion festivals 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1299:1530s in Japan 1296: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1276: 1271: 1266: 1261: 1251: 1250: 1247: 1246: 1236: 1235: 1219: 1218:External links 1216: 1213: 1212: 1186: 1157: 1144: 1120: 1100: 1087:10.2307/594168 1081:(3): 282–289. 1060: 1041: 1030:(2): 276–299. 1002: 1001: 999: 996: 995: 994: 987: 984: 983: 982: 979: 976: 971: 968: 967: 966: 963: 960: 957: 952: 949: 815: 812: 811: 810: 807: 792: 783: 764: 755: 747: 739: 731: 728: 719: 710: 701: 693: 685: 677: 668: 654: 651: 629: 606: 592: 579: 564: 563: 514: 512: 505: 499: 496: 495: 494: 487: 485: 478: 476: 469: 467: 460: 458: 451: 449: 442: 440: 433: 431: 428: 421: 419: 410: 403: 401: 399:float marchers 395: 388: 386: 383: 376: 372: 369: 273: 270: 256: 253: 137:Yamaboko Junkō 90: 89: 86: 82: 81: 78: 74: 73: 70: 66: 65: 62: 58: 57: 54: 50: 49: 43: 35: 34: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1336: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1310: 1307: 1305: 1302: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1290: 1287: 1285: 1282: 1280: 1277: 1275: 1272: 1270: 1267: 1265: 1262: 1260: 1257: 1256: 1254: 1245: 1244: 1240: 1239: 1238: 1234: 1233: 1229: 1226: 1222: 1221: 1217: 1208: 1204: 1197: 1195: 1193: 1191: 1187: 1182: 1176: 1168: 1161: 1158: 1154: 1148: 1145: 1134: 1130: 1124: 1121: 1116: 1109: 1107: 1105: 1101: 1096: 1092: 1088: 1084: 1080: 1076: 1069: 1067: 1065: 1061: 1056: 1052: 1045: 1042: 1037: 1033: 1029: 1025: 1018: 1016: 1014: 1012: 1010: 1008: 1004: 997: 993: 990: 989: 985: 980: 977: 974: 973: 969: 964: 961: 958: 955: 954: 950: 948: 945: 939: 932: 926: 918: 914: 911: 905: 899: 897: 893: 888: 883: 879: 875: 870: 864: 858: 852: 846: 840: 835: 827: 824: 820: 813: 808: 804: 798: 793: 789: 784: 772: 771: 765: 761: 756: 753: 748: 745: 740: 737: 736:Yoiyoiyoiyama 732: 729: 725: 720: 716: 711: 707: 702: 699: 694: 691: 686: 683: 682:Yoiyoiyoiyama 678: 674: 669: 666: 660: 655: 652: 650: 646: 641: 635: 630: 618: 617: 611: 607: 604: 598: 593: 590: 585: 584:Kujitorishiki 580: 576: 571: 570: 569: 560: 557: 549: 539: 535: 531: 525: 524: 520: 515:This section 513: 509: 504: 503: 497: 491: 486: 482: 477: 473: 468: 464: 459: 455: 450: 446: 441: 437: 432: 425: 420: 415: 407: 402: 398: 392: 387: 380: 375: 370: 368: 366: 362: 358: 357: 352: 347: 343: 341: 337: 333: 318: 317: 316: 309: 305: 304:Yasaka Shrine 301: 297: 296:Emperor Seiwa 292: 283: 278: 272:Ancient years 271: 266: 261: 254: 252: 249: 248: 241: 240: 233: 232: 225: 224: 213: 212:Byōbu Matsuri 198: 184: 171: 158: 157:yoiyoiyoiyama 153: 151: 138: 134: 130: 126: 125:Yasaka Shrine 122: 118: 109: 97: 96:Gion Festival 88:Month of July 87: 83: 79: 75: 71: 67: 63: 59: 55: 51: 46: 41: 36: 31: 19: 1241: 1237: 1223: 1206: 1202: 1166: 1160: 1152: 1147: 1136:. Retrieved 1132: 1123: 1114: 1078: 1074: 1054: 1050: 1044: 1027: 1023: 927: 923: 900: 878:bodhisattvas 831: 823:Niwatoriboko 822: 797:Mikoshi arai 769: 665:Naginataboko 662:children of 645:sacred water 634:Mikoshi arai 615: 600:children of 567: 552: 543: 528:Please help 516: 417:float (2013) 396: 365:Aoi Festival 354: 348: 344: 340:Oda Nobunaga 313: 287: 267:in the 1920s 182: 169: 156: 154: 136: 108:Gion Matsuri 95: 93: 44: 1319:Goryō faith 970:Yama floats 951:Hoko floats 603:Ayagasaboko 397:Ayagasaboko 334:(under the 247:okonomiyaki 1253:Categories 1138:2024-07-03 860:. The ten 744:Yoiyoiyama 690:Yoiyoiyama 649:Kamo River 572:July 1–5: 353:'s novel, 170:yoiyoiyama 1314:Gion cult 1175:cite book 992:Gion cult 898:in 2009. 794:July 28: 749:July 23: 741:July 22: 733:July 21: 703:July 16: 695:July 16: 687:July 15: 679:July 14: 647:from the 631:July 10: 608:July 10: 546:July 2020 517:does not 64:Religious 1228:Archived 986:See also 938:yamahoko 910:otabisho 887:Yamahoko 882:Nishijin 857:yamaboko 770:hanagasa 760:yamaboko 715:yamaboko 581:July 2: 575:Kippuiri 414:yamaboko 363:and the 332:Onin War 308:halberds 239:takoyaki 223:yakitori 201:Festival 18:Yamahoko 904:mikoshi 839:yoiyama 836:in the 803:mikoshi 788:mikoshi 752:Yoiyama 724:mikoshi 698:Yoiyama 640:mikoshi 616:mikoshi 610:Lantern 589:lottery 538:removed 523:sources 371:Gallery 315:mikoshi 291:goryo-e 255:History 231:taiyaki 197:yoiyama 183:yoiyama 80:31 July 45:Yoiyama 1095:594168 1093:  1057:: 407. 874:Shinto 834:floats 718:floats 282:floats 181:, and 150:floats 133:Shinto 72:1 July 69:Begins 1209:: 51. 1091:JSTOR 998:Notes 944:chigo 931:chigo 826:float 763:float 673:chigo 659:chigo 643:with 597:chigo 265:Kyoto 121:Kyoto 117:Japan 56:Kyoto 1181:link 869:yama 863:hoko 851:yama 845:hoko 832:The 587:, a 521:any 519:cite 206:屏風祭り 163:宵々々山 143:山鉾巡行 129:Gion 94:The 85:Date 77:Ends 61:Type 1083:doi 1032:doi 532:by 176:宵々山 102:祇園祭 1255:: 1205:. 1189:^ 1177:}} 1173:{{ 1131:. 1103:^ 1089:. 1079:54 1077:. 1063:^ 1055:34 1053:. 1028:36 1026:. 1006:^ 778:花傘 624:御輿 411:A 367:. 342:. 324:御輿 235:, 209:, 189:宵山 168:, 105:, 1207:9 1183:) 1141:. 1097:. 1085:: 1038:. 1034:: 775:( 621:( 559:) 553:( 548:) 544:( 540:. 526:. 321:( 216:) 203:( 192:) 186:( 179:) 173:( 166:) 160:( 146:) 140:( 112:) 99:( 20:)

Index

Yamahoko

Japan
Kyoto
Yasaka Shrine
Gion
Shinto
floats
yakitori
taiyaki
takoyaki
okonomiyaki

Kyoto

floats
Emperor Seiwa
Susanoo-no-Mikoto
Yasaka Shrine
halberds
mikoshi
Onin War
Ashikaga shogunate
Oda Nobunaga
Yasunari Kawabata
The Old Capital
Festival of Ages
Aoi Festival
Festival street with food and craft vendors
Ayagasaboko float marchers

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