Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri, 祇園祭り) is one of Japan most famous and historic festivals. Held every July in Kyoto, its long history dates more than 1100 years back, when it was first performed as a religious ceremony to calm and appease gods during an epidemic outbreak, and since then has evolved into a vibrant, month-long celebration deeply rooted in life of locals.

Yamaboko Float Parades

The highlight of Gion Festival is the grand parade of wooden floats, known as Yamaboko, a word that combines the two types of floats featured in the parade: Yama and Hoko.

The smaller floats can be carried on shoulders, while the biggest ones needed to be pulled on wheels by teams of people.

There are 34 floats in total and they divided into two parades:
●　Early Festival (Saki Matsuri, 前祭) on July 17th: the first, most famous parade, features 23 floats.
●　Late Festival (Ato Matsuri, 後祭) on July 24th: second, smaller parade features 11 floats, that are not shown during the first parade.

Each float is craftily decorated with tapestries and carvings, creating a truly magnificent procession.

However, their purpose is much more than just a carefully crafted pieces of art; these floats act as vessels that purify city and prepare streets for another grand procession.

🏮Festival Tip: You can take your time and admire the beautiful decorations of the floats during Yoiyama, the nights before parades, when the beautifully lit up floats are stationed in different parts of the city. It's the perfect chance to appreciate their fine details up close.

📝 Did you know? The Yamaboko Floats Parades are recognized as a UNESCO cultural heritage for their cultural and historic value.

Mikoshi Togyo or portable shrine procession

It is believed that mikoshi, or portable shrines, contain spirits of actual deities. On the night of July 17th three mikoshi are taken from Yasaka Shrine and carried through the city to a temporally rest place (Otabisho, 御旅所), where they will stay for a week to bless and protect the city.

The return procession of mikoshi takes place on July 24th, the same day as Late Festival.

Where to stay during Gion Festival in Kyoto?

The Early Festival parade starts at 9:00 am at Shijo station, conveniently located in just 15-minute walk from HOTEL TAVINOS Kyoto. Alternatively, you can head to Kyoto-Kawaramachi station, which is located closer to hotel – the parade is supposed to reach this spot at 9:45 am, giving you extra time in the morning.

The parade will last for over two hours and will reach its end past Karasuma-Oike station at 11:20. The Late Festival parade will take the same route, but in reverse. Please note that the time is approximate and can vary depending on any unforeseen delays.

🏮Festival Tip: On the Kyoto Official Travel Guide you can see the routes taken during parades and where the floats are located before that.