Gion-matsuri Festival

One of the longest running festivals in the world and takes placing during the entire month of July. There are many small events each day but only two days where the big parade floats and mikoshi portable shrine go around the city from afternoon until night. The hoko floats are impressive and flashy and run by the local merchants guilds. The mikoshi is super active and energetic and the original main event for the locals as the shrines purify the city from disease as they go past each district.

One of the best festival to attend in Japan!
Don’t miss it!

Until 2013, the Gion Matsuri was done only once, but from 2014, the festival is divided into two parts: Saki-​Matsuri (Leading festival) and Ato-​Matsuri (behind festival).
1. Saki-​Matsuri
The Saki-​Matsuri will be the same as the one that had been done till 2013. The Special Omikoshi (portable shrine) called «Yamaboko» will be built from the beginning of July till 12^th or 13^th.
During 14^th to 15^th of July, there will be various of stands. So many people will be walking in Shijyo street, as the street will be pedestrian’s paradise. Also some traditional houses will open their place to show their treasures only on these days.
I always try to avoid to go through Shijyo street on this time.
When I want to see the «Yamaboko» I go before AM 9:00 or after PM 10:00. between these hours it’s going to be crowed around most of the «Yamaboko». Then on 16^th and 17^th of July, the Omikoshi will be pulled around Shijyo street, Kawaramachi street till Oike street.
As it is really crowed in the morning of 17^th, it’s going to be tough to watch the «Yamaboko» among Kawaramachi street or Shijyo. But if you could go to the Kawaramachi– Oike cross road, it’s a nice place to take pictures of the moving «Yamaboko». It will be more easier to see the «Tsuji-​mawashi», turing of the Yamaboko there. At night after 6PM, it’s better to be near the Sanjyo Keihan station as it is possible to see the whole members of the parade from a close distance.
2. Ato-​Matsuri
It has been 150 years for the «Ofunaboko» to be remake, after it has been burnt down. So one of the main event is to see this huge Ofunaboko. The rout of the Yamaboko for this Ato-​Matsuri is a bit shorter then the Saki-​Matsuri.
However, there are less people then the Saki-​Matsuri, and some houses will also open their home to show there treasures.
3. Special sweets
During the Gion-​Matsuri, most of the traditional sweets shops and other food shops will sale special goods for the festival. It’s fun to see sweets designed with the «Yamaboko» or has been inspired with the Gion festival. It’s fun to watch and to eat them.

It’s a super famous festival in Japan. One of the biggest three Japanese major festival.
Main event
As from 18:00 to 23:00, some streets are stopped traffic and the range swells with food open-​air stall, and any other festival feature. These festive evenings laying out the process are recognized as Yoiyoiyoiyama (July 7), Yoiyoiyama (July 15) and Yoiyama (July 16).
The processions of floats (Yamaboko Junko) appear from 9:00 until 11:30 on July 17. Especially in this time it has been crazy busy. There are bunch of people who are both neighborhood and tourists from outside of Kyoto.
It is that coming Gion festival symbolize coming summer for me.