Gion Matsuri is one of the three major festivals in Japan. This festival of Yasaka Shrine and Kyoto townspeople was reportedly originated in 869, when 66 pikes were donated to the Shinsen-en imperial garden, to enshrine a god of the plague. The festival was then held annually since 970, and the prototype of floats was complete in 999. The history of Gion Matsuri was interrupted by the Onin civil war (1467 - 1477), and was resumed in 1500 after the cessation for 33 years. The tradition also survived massive fires in 1708, 1788 and 1864, as well as diverse other incidents and changes.
Originally, Gion Matsuri was called Gion-e or Gion Goryo-e; Goryo-e was a requiem festival to pray for the repose of souls of people who died from plague or violence.
Procession Order for Festival 2023
The order of floats in the procession of Gion Matsuri 2023 was determined by draw at the Kuji-tori (Procession Order Draw) ceremony on July 2.
Sakimatsuri
1
- 籤取らず
- 長刀鉾
- Naginata-hoko
2
- 山1番
- 山伏山
- Yamabushi-yama
3
- 山2番
- 白楽天山
- Hakurakuten-yama
4
- 山3番
- 芦刈山
- Ashikari-yama
5
- 籤取らず
- 函谷鉾
- Knako-hoko
6
- 山4番
- 郭巨山
- Kakkyo-yama
7
- 傘鉾１番
- 四条傘鉾
- Sijyokasa-hoko
8
- 山5番
- 木賊山
- Tokusa-yama
9
- 鉾１番
- 鶏鉾
- Niwatori-hoko
10
- 山6番
- 木賊山
- Tokusa-yama
11
- 山7番
- 孟宗山
- Moso-yama
12
- 山8番
- 霰天神山
- Araretenjin-yama
13
- 鉾2番
- 菊水鉾
- Kikusui-hoko
14
- 山9番
- 保昌山
- Hosho-yama
15
- 傘鉾2番
- 綾傘鉾
- Ayakasa-hoko
16
- 山10番
- 太子山
- Taishi-yama
17
- 鉾3番
- 月鉾
- Tsuki-hoko
18
- 山11番
- 伯牙山
- Hakuga-yama
19
- 山12番
- 蟷螂山
- Toro-yama
20
- 山13番
- 占出山
- Urade-yama
21
- 籤取らず
- 放下鉾
- Hoka-hoko
22
- 籤取らず
- 岩戸山
- Iwato-yama
23
- 籤取らず
- 船鉾
- Fune-hoko
Atomatsuri
1
- 籤取らず
- 橋弁慶山
- Hashibenkei-yama
2
- 籤取らず
- 南観音山
- Minamikanon-yama
3
- 山1番
- 浄妙山
- Jomyo-yama
4
- 山2番
- 八幡山
- Hachiman-yama
5
- 山3番
- 鯉山
- koi-yama
6
- 籤取らず
- 北観音山
- Kitakanon-yama
7
- 山4番
- 黒主山
- Kuronushi-yama
8
- 山5番
- 役行者山
- Ennogyojya-yama
9
- 山6番
- 鈴鹿山
- Suzuka-yama
10
- 籤取らず
- 鷹山
- Taka-yama
11
- 籤取らず
- 大船鉾
- Ofune-hoko
Event Schedule for 2023
| July | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st through 5th | Kippu-iri (Initiation Ceremony) | Individual Float Towns |
| 1st | Naginata-hoko Cho Osendo (Naginata-hoko Townspeople's Visit to Yasaka Shrine) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 2nd | Kuji-tori Shiki (Procession Order Draw Ceremony) | Kyoto City Hall（Assembly House） |
| 2nd | Yama-hoko Cho Shasan (Float Townspeople's Visit to Yasaka Shrine) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 10th | Omukae Chochin (Welcome Lantern) | Yasaka Shrine and Kyoto City Hall |
| 10th | Mikoshi-arai (Portable Shrine Purification) | Shijo Ohashi Bridge |
| 10th through 13th | Hoko-tate for Sakimatsuri (Hoko Float Assembly) | Individual Float Towns for Sakimatsuri |
| 10th through 15th | Kiyo-harai (Town Purification) | Individual Float Community of Sakimatsuri |
| 12th through 13th | Hoko Hiki-zome (First Float Towing) | Individual Float Community of Sakimatsuri |
| 13th | Takahashi-cho Shasan (Takahashi-cho Officials’ Visit to Yasaka Shrine) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 13th | Naginata-hoko Chigo Shasan (Naginata-hoko Float Child’s Visit to Yasaka Shrine) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 13th | Kuze Komagata Chigo Shasan (Kuze Komagata Child’s Visit to Yasaka Shrine) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 12th through 14th | Yama-tate (Yama Float Assembly) & Cho-kaisho Kazari-tsuke (Town Hall Decoration) | Individual Float Community of Sakimatsuri |
| 14th | Ichiri-zuka Matsukazari-shiki (Milestone Decoration) | Matsubara Nakano-cho |
| 14th through 16th | Byobu Matsuri for Sakimatsuri (Citizens’ Home Exhibition) | Individual Float Community for Sakimatsuri |
| 15th | Takahashi-cho Imitake-tate (Divine Bamboo Setting) | Shijo Fuyamachi (Fuyamachi-dori and Shijo-dori) |
| 15th | Mitarai no Ido-biraki (Well Water Purification) | Shijo Fuyamachi (Fuyamachi-dori and Shijo-dori) |
| 15th | Yoimiya-sai (Holy Spirit Transition to Portable Shrines) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 16th | Kencha-shiki (Tea Offering Ceremony) | Yasaka Shrine |
| 16th | Goma-taki (Holy Wood Burning) |
Ennogyoja-yama |
| 16th | Sagimai and Dengaku (Traditional Dancing) |
Yasaka Shrine |
| 16th | Yoi-yama (Festival Eve) event for Sakimatsuri |
Individual Float Community of Sakimatsuri |
| 16th | Hiyori Kagura (Clear Weather Prayer) |
Shijo Otabisho |
| 17th | Yama-hoko Junko (Float Procession) | Shijo Karasuma (Karasuma-dori and Shijo-dori) to Kawaramachi-dori and to Oike-dori |
| 17th | Shinko-sai (Portable Shrine Procession) |
Yasaka Shrine and Shijo Otabisho |
| 18th through 20th | Yama-tate for Atomatsuri is started in steps (Yama Float Assembly) |
Individual Float Community of Atomatsuri |
| 17th through 24th | Mugon Mairi (Silent Visit to Festival God) |
Individual Float Community of Atomatsuri |
| 23rd | Imitake-tate and Ohake Shinji (Divine Corner Setting) |
Shijo Otabisho |
| 23rd | Sencha Kencha-sai and Biwa Hono (Tea and Biwa Music Offering) |
Yasaka Shrine |
| 21st through 24th | Yoi-yama (Festival Eve) event for Atomatsuri | Individual Float Community of Atomatsuri |
| 24th | Atomatsuri Junko (Atomatsuri Procession) |
Karasuma Oike (Karasuma-dori and Oike-dori) to Kawaramachi-dori, Shijo-dori, and to Shijo Karasuma (Karasuma-dori and Shijo-dori) |
| 24th | Hanagasa Junko (Hanagasa Procession) |
Kyoto City Hall and Yasaka Shrine |
| 24th | Kanko-sai (Holy Spirit Return to Yasaka Shrine) |
Yasaka Shrine and Shijo Otabisho |
| 25th | Kyogen Hono (Kyogen Offering) |
Yasaka Shrine (Noh Stage) |
| 28th | Mikoshi Arai (Portable Shrine Purification) |
Shijo Ohashi Bridge |
| 29th | Shinji-zumi Hokoku-sai (Report of Festival Completion) |
Yasaka Shrine |
| 31st | Eki-jinja Nagoshi-saii (Citizen Purification) |
Yasaka Shrine Precincts |