“Yamahoko” Floats Parade in Gion Festival in Kyoto

July 17, 2018

Kyoto- The procession of "Yamahoko" floats took place in Kyoto on Tuesday, marking the highlight of the Gion Festival in the western Japan city.

A total of 23 gorgeously decorated floats paraded during "saki matsuri," the early part of the festival, on a street in the ancient capital of Japan.

When the "tsuji mawashi" performance, in which the floats are turned around at an intersection, was conducted, the audience cheered loudly.

"The floats were bigger than I had expected," said Ayaka Motoyama, 21, a university student from the city of Nishinomiya in the western prefecture of Hyogo.

"It was spectacular and great," she said excitedly.

The Gion Festival is believed to have begun in the Heian period, which lasted about 400 years from 794, as people erected "hoko" spears and prayed for the release from disease outbreaks and disasters, including earthquakes, that struck at the time.

The Gion Festival organizer raised 4.01 million yen through crowdfunding this year, more than its target of 3 million yen. The money is used for security and cleaning work.

On July 24, 10 other Yamahoko floats will parade in Kyoto during "ato matsuri," the concluding part of the festival. Jiji Press