Gion Matsuri, Kyoto Ashikari-yama

Gion Matsuri is one of the three major festivals in Japan. This festival of Yasaka Shrine and Kyoto townspeople was reportedly originated in 869, when 66 pikes were donated to the Shinsen-en imperial garden, to enshrine a god of the plague. The festival was then held annually since 970, and the prototype of floats was complete in 999. The history of Gion Matsuri was interrupted by the Onin civil war (1467 - 1477), and was resumed in 1500 after the cessation for 33 years. The tradition also survived massive fires in 1708, 1788 and 1864, as well as diverse other incidents and changes.

Originally, Gion Matsuri was called Gion-e or Gion Goryo-e; Goryo-e was a requiem festival to pray for the repose of souls of the dead from pests or violence.

The order of floats in the procession of the 2009 Gion Matsuri festival was determined by draw at the Kuji-tori (Procession Order Draw) ceremony on July 2.

Ashikari-yama drew “Yama-1ban”

Sakimatsuri
Head float	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th

Naginata boko	Ashikari yama	Hakurakuten yama	Araretenjin yama	Kanko boko	Moso yama	Shijyo kasaboko	Kakkyo yama	Tsuki hoko	Toro yama	Aburano tenjinyama

12th	13th	14th	15th	16th	17th	18th	19th	20th	21st	22nd	23rd

Urade yama	Kikusui boko	Taishi yama	Ayagasa boko	Hakuga yama	Niwatori hoko	Tokusa yama	Hosho yama	Yamabushi yama	Hoka boko	Iwato yama	Fune boko

Atomatsuri
24th	25th	26th	27th	28th	29th	30th	31st	End float

Kitakannon yama	Hashibenkei yama	Kuronushi yama	Suzuka yama	Hachiman yama	Ennogyojya yama	Koi yama	Kuronushi yama	Minamikannon yama

The eight floats at the head, 5th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th and the end of the procession are fixed ("Kuji-torazu"), and do not participate in the annual Procession Order Draw ceremony.

1st through 5th	Kippu-iri (Initiation Ceremony)	Individual Float Community
1st	Naginata-boko Cho Osendo (Naginata-boko Community Visit to Yasaka Shrine)	Yasaka Shrine
2nd	Kuji-tori Shiki (Procession Order Draw Ceremony)	Kyoto City Hall, Assembly House
	Yama-hoko Cho Shasan (Community Visit to Yasaka Shrine)	Yasaka Shrine
10th through 13th	Kiyo-harai (Community Purification)	Individual Float Community
	Hoko-tate (Hoko Float Assembly)	Individual Float Community
10th	Omukae Chochin (Welcome Lantern)	Yasaka Shrine and Kyoto City Hall
	Mikoshi-arai (Portable Shrine Purification)	Shijo Ohashi Bridge
12th through 13th	Hoko Hiki-zome (First Float Towing)	Individual Float Community
13th	Takahashi-cho Shasan (Takahashi-cho Officials’ Visit to Yasaka Shrine)	Yasaka Shrine
	Naginata-boko Chigo Shasan (Naginata-boko Float Child’s Visit to Yasaka Shrine)	Yasaka Shrine
	Kuze Komagata Chigo Shasan (Kuze Komagata Child’s Visit to Yasaka Shrine)	Yasaka Shrine
13th through 14th	Yama-tate (Yama Float Assembly) Cho-kaisho Kazari-tsuke (Community House Decoration)	Individual Float Community
14th	Ichiri-zuka Matsukazari-shiki (Milestone Decoration)	Matsubara Nakano-cho
14th through 16th	Byobu Matsuri (Citizens’ Home Exhibition)	Individual Float Community
15th	Takahashi-cho Imitake-tate (Divine Bamboo Setting)	Shijo Fuyamachi (Fuyamachi-dori and Shijo-dori)
	Mitarai no Ido-biraki (Well Water Purification)
	Yoimiya-sai (Holy Spirit Transition to Portable Shrines)	Yasaka Shrine
16th	Kencha-shiki (Tea Offering Ceremony)	Yasaka Shrine
	Goma-taki (Holy Wood Burning)	Ennogyoja-yama
	Sagimai and Dengaku (Traditional Dancing)	Yasaka Shrine
	Yoi-yama (Festival Eve)	Individual Float Community
	Hiyori Kagura (Clear Weather Prayer)	Shijo Otabisho
	Abare Kannon (Holy Statue Demonstration)	Minamikannon-yama
17th	Yama-hoko Kazari (Float Decoration)	Individual Float Community
	Yama-hoko Junko (Float Procession)	Shijo Karasuma (Karasuma-dori and Shijo-dori) to Kawaramachi-dori and to Oike-dori
	- Kuji-aratame (Draw Review)	Shijo Sakaimachi (Sakaimachi-dori and Shijo-dori)
	- Shimenawa-kiri	Shijo Fuyamachi (Fuyamachi-dori and Shijo-dori)
	- Yasaka Jinja Yohai (Remote Prayer to Yasaka Shrine)	Shijo Otabisho
	Jinko-sai (Portable Shrine Procession)	Yasaka Shrine and Shijo Otabisho
17th through 24th	Mugon Mairi (Silent Visit to Festival God)
23rd	Imitake-tate and Ohake Shinji (Divine Corner Setting)	Sanjo Ontomo-sha
	Sencha Kencha-sai and Biwa Hono (Tea and Biwa Music Offering)	Yasaka Shrine
24th	Hanagasa Junko (Hanagasa Procession)	Kyoto City Hall and Yasaka Shrine
	Kanko-sai (Holy Spirit Return to Yasaka Shrine)	Shijo Otabisho and Yasaka Shrine
25th	Kyogen Hono (Kyogen Offering)	Yasaka Shrine, Noh Stage
28th	Mikoshi Arai (Portable Shrine Purification)	Shijo Ohashi Bridge
29th	Shinji-zumi Hokoku-sai (Report of Festival Completion)	Yasaka Shrine
31st	Eki-jinja Nagoshi-matsuri (Citizen Purification)	Yasaka Shrine Precincts

English Edition by: miminga