Gion Festival begins

Since the beginning of July, musical practices for the Gion Festival began yesterday in many parts of the town. The Gion Festival lasts for a month from 1 to 5 July, starting with the Kippu-iri, in which each Yamaboko-cho invites a deity from Yasaka Shrine to pray for the safety of the festival, and ends with the Nagoshi Festival at Eki Shrine on 31 July.

We have of course been to Yoiyama and the Yamaboko procession many times, but this year will be a completely different month as Tokusayama-cho, where we have our restaurant, is involved in the Gion Festival in Yama-cho. Everything is a good experience, and we are looking forward to helping out as much as we can, taking care not to cause any inconvenience by learning from the people in the town.

The Chimaki at the entrance is also returned to Yasaka Shrine and a new one is hung again. The Chimaki with a piece of paper attached that says ‘I am a descendant of Somin Shorai’, based on the story of Somin Shorai, who offered overnight lodging to Gozu Tenno, the god of Shinto and Buddhist syncretism and also the main deity of Yasaka Shrine, is meant to ward off bad luck. This is because in return for the inn, Gozu Tenno promised to protect Somin and his descendants from misfortune.

Chimaki is known to all Kyoto people, but it seems to be a very interesting story for guests from outside Kyoto.