Gion Festival Blogs
Kyoto’s 1100-Year-Old Gion Festival
An Overview of Japan's Most Famous Festival by Catherine Pawasarat. Shining as the best-known festival in Japan, the Gion Festival takes place every year over the whole month of July. It's a testimony to the community spirit of downtown Kyotoites that this annual...
The Victorious Return of Ōfune Boko
In 2006 Ōfune Boko (the Great Ship Float) began to display its treasures during the festival, after a 150-year absence. The hoko itself was one of several that were destroyed in the great fire of 1864, though the treasures were miraculously saved.
Festival Reformation: Two processions restored!
Rapidly changing times notwithstanding, in an 1100+-year event like the Gion Festival, transformation can be radical. The year 2014 heralded the reinstitution of the Gion Festival's annual processions to two parts, one on the 17th and another on the 24th. Why do we...