My Gion Matsuri fieldwork began in mid-July 1993 when I was working as a regional correspondent for The Japan Times newspaper. I also lived in the heart of the Gion Matsuri yamaboko floats neighborhood. Every time I walked out my
Kyoto’s Gion Festival is a marvel every time, but Gion Matsuri 2023 was especially celebratory. July 2023 saw the first normal Gion Matsuri since covid led to the ancient festival being trimmed down to its most essential elements in 2020,
