Gionmatsuri

Gionmatsuri is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. It takes place in Kyoto every year for the enitre month of July. The festival is crowned with the big parade on July 17th called Yamaboko Junko. Three nights prior to the parade are called yoiyoiyoiyama(July 14th), yoiyoiyama (July 15th), and yoiyama(July 16th).

The streets are lined with many different vendors selling all sorts of food. They include such foods as takoyaki(baked octopus), taiyaki(japanese fish cake), yakitori(grilled chicken), and okonomiyaki(japanese pancake), frozen chocolate dipped bananas, and many other types of sweets. Women wear their Yukata(summer kimono) and carry traditional purses and paper fans.

This festival wasn't as always a big party as it seems today. It has a lot of history behind it. In 869, the people were suffering from plague and pestilence from the rampaging Deity Gozu Tenno. Emperor Seiwa then ordered the people to pray to the god of Yasaka Shrine, Susanoo-no-mikoto. They decorated 66 Halberds, one for each province of Japan, and were erected at Shinsen-en.

This tradition was followed everytime there was a bad year, but in 970 it was declared an annual event and was held almost every year since then.

Now a days they have floats for the parade instead of halberds called Yamaboko. There are 9 floats that represent the 66 halberds. And 23 smaller floats that carry life-size figures on it of famous and important people of history. All the floats are decorated with the finest tapestries from all over the world.