Roger's Pictures
Gion Festival
24 July 2024
On our way elsewhere, Roger realized
everyone was lining up
to watch something... Turned out to be a good spot to
watch 2 parades
associated with the Gion Festival. First the Hanagasa or
flower hat
festival passed down Shijo street, then the big floats (called
yama or
mountains) in the Ato Matsuri (latter festival) passed right
in front of us
along Kawaramachi and turned onto Shijo. Notice how they
had to move
overhead street signs before the big floats came by!
Even more interesting
was watching how they had to turn the corner and were
dismantled for storage
the next morning... (Be sure to watch the videos to see
these things!)
 Gion Hanagasa (flower hat) parade |
 Gion Hanagasa (flower hat) parade |
 Gion Hanagasa (flower hat) parade |
 Gion Hanagasa (flower hat) parade |
 Gion Hanagasa (flower hat) parade |
 20240724_100347 |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Hashibenkei Yama - historic tale of monk Benkei and his master Ushiwakamaru (in light color robes) on Gojo Bridge |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Hashibenkei Yama - historic tale of monk Benkei and his master Ushiwakamaru (in light color robes) on Gojo Bridge |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Hashibenkei Yama - historic tale of monk Benkei and his master Ushiwakamaru (in light color robes) on Gojo Bridge |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama - forward! |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kitakannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Kurinushi Yama - represents a Heian Era poet Kuronishi Otomo admiring a cherry tree |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade- Kurinushi Yama - represents a Heian Era poet Kuronishi Otomo admiring a cherry tree |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Kurinushi Yama - represents a Heian Era poet Kuronishi Otomo admiring a cherry tree |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - turning a corner |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - turning a corner |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - turning a corner |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Koi Yama -- supposed to be carrying a large carp swimming upstream in the hope of becoming a dragon |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Suzuka Yama representing a female Suzuka Gozen who defeated an ogre |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Suzuka Yama representing a female Suzuka Gozen who defeated an ogre |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Minamikannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Minamikannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Minamikannon Yama |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Minamikannon Yama |
20240724_111109 |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Jomyo Yama - from the Tale of the Heike in which the Buddhist soldierJomyo leaps over another to reach the Uji River first |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Jomyo Yama - from the Tale of the Heike in which the Buddhist soldierJomyo leaps over another to reach the Uji River first |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Hachiman Yama - carrying the diety of the local Hachimangu Shrine |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade -- Ennogyoja Yama - about a buddhist monk from 634-701 manipulating Hitokotonushi into building a bridge |
20240724_112642 |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Taka Yama - dating from the 1460s and back in use after a 196 year hiatus! |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Taka Yama - dating from the 1460s and back in use after a 196 year hiatus! |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Taka Yama - dating from the 1460s and back in use after a 196 year hiatus! |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Taka Yama - dating from the 1460s and back in use after a 196 year hiatus! |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - Taka Yama - dating from the 1460s and back in use after a 196 year hiatus! |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - turning the corner |
 turning the corner |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade - turning the corner |
|
20240724_113608 |
 the next morning - dismantling 2 floats |
 the next morning - dismantling 2 floats |
 the next morning - dismantling 2 floats |
 the next morning - dismantling 2 floats |
|
20240725_080508 |
 Gion Ato Matsuri Yamaboko (float) Junko Parade |