Gion Matsuri Dragons: Energy, Enlightenment, Elements & Emperors Dragons appear all throughout Kyoto’s ancient Gion Matsuri. Why are there so many dragons, appearing on so many different levels of the festival? What purpose do they serve? Are they symbols,...
Are you hoping to attend the 2023 Gion Matsuri? Here’s a quick guide for how to best enjoy this year’s Gion festival. Read on for what’s new, some key highlights and how you can stay refreshed and inspired during Kyoto’s summer festival. Help...
Gion Matsuri 2022: The first almost-normal Gion Matsuri in 3 years due to covid. Jubilant, and impossible to social distance. Gion Festival 2022 was a milestone in its history: it marked the first time the festival resumed after being scaled back due to a pandemic....
Kyoto’s Gion Festival 2022 returns in July! The Gion Festival Floats Association has named that it would like the festival to happen “in as close to its usual form as possible.” But there will of course be safety measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. So...
Combining spiritual practices to benefit all beings with history, magic, myths, and legend, it’s challenging to be cooler than a committed yamabushi. Did you know that the Gion Matsuri and yamabushi share connections dating back centuries? And that dozens of yamabushi...
One of numerous Gion Festival iconic events: the spectacular Ato Matsuri floats procession on July 24. The spectacular Ato Matsuri floats procession, an iconic part of the Gion Festival. [/caption]Dating to 869 C.E., Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri shines as a beacon of more...