July in Kyoto is a time of tradition and passion! The Gion Festival is one of Japan’s grandest traditional celebrations and a symbolic event of Japanese summer culture. Lasting an entire month from July 1st to 31st, the festival features a variety of shrine rituals and cultural events throughout the city.
1.Gion Festival
What is Gion festival？
During the Gion Festival, three deities enshrined at Yasaka Shrine are honored:
Susanoo-no-Mikoto: The most important deity of the Gion Festival and the principal god of Yasaka Shrine. He is revered as a powerful god who can ward off plagues and epidemics.
Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto: The wife of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, known for her beauty and worshipped as a graceful goddess.
Yahashira-no-Miko-gami: The eight children (three sons and five daughters) of Susanoo-no-Mikoto and Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto, also enshrined and worshipped alongside their parents.
These deities play an essential role in the Gion Festival, particularly in prayers for protection against evil, disease, and for the well-being of the community.
During the festival, the gods are believed to ride in mikoshi (portable shrines), which are carried by male parishioners from central Kyoto, known as Rakuchū. The procession starts at Yasaka Shrine, a sacred place, and travels through the neighborhoods where the shrine’s followers live.
What are “Yamahoko”?
Yamahoko are the festival floats that parade during the celebration, divided into two types: “Yama” and “Hoko.” They are built using traditional rope-binding techniques called “nawabari,” without using a single nail, known as “Yama-ken” and “Hoko-ken.” Each magnificent Yamahoko carries its own meaning, such as warding off evil, bringing good fortune, or ensuring safe childbirth. Their decorations and designs are exquisitely detailed, earning them the title of a “moving art museums.” The procession is a dazzling “moving art museum,” a feast for the eyes and culture alike.
Highlights of the Gion Festival
The main highlights of the Gion Festival are the Yamahoko Procession (Yamahoko Junko) and the Mikoshi Procession (Mikoshi Togyo).
The Yamahoko Procession of July 17 (Saki Matsuri – the First Festival) and the Yamahoko Procession of July 24 (Ato Matsuri – the Second Festival) are the most anticipated events of the festival. During this period, the portable shrines (mikoshi) from Yasaka Shrine are carried through the streets, and 34 elaborately decorated floats (yamahoko) parade through the city.
Each float is adorned with exquisite art pieces known as kazarimono, including intricate embroidery and luxurious textiles imported from abroad. These floats offer a close-up view of Kyoto’s refined traditional craftsmanship.
The Yamahoko events of the Gion Festival are inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The grandeur and splendor of the Yamahoko Procession truly make it a "feast of culture."
The festival is held in two parts: the Saki Matsuri (First Festival) and the Ato Matsuri (Second Festival), each featuring its own Yamahoko procession.
🔸 Saki Matsuri (First Festival)
Yamahoko Junko (Float Procession):
On July 17, a total of 23 floats (yamaboko) set out from Shijo-Karasuma, parading through Kyoto’s main downtown streets and heading toward the Karasuma-Oike area. This is the most spectacular part of the entire Gion Matsuri.
After the float procession, in the afternoon, the Mikoshi Togyo organized by Yasaka Shrine takes place.
Mikoshi Togyo (Shinko-sai / Procession of Deities):
Starting around 4:00 PM with a welcoming ritual, three mikoshi (portable shrines) depart from Yasaka Shrine around 6:00 PM, carried by devotees through the city streets. They are brought to the Otabisho at Shijo-Teramachi, a temporary resting place for the deities during their tour of the city, where they remain until July 24.
🔸 Ato Matsuri (Later Festival)
Yamahoko Junko (Float Procession):
On July 24, 11 floats proceed along the reverse route of the Saki Matsuri, starting from Karasuma-Oike and heading back to Shijo-Karasuma. The atmosphere of this procession is more serene and solemn compared to the First Festival.
Return Procession (Kanko-sai):
Around 5:00 PM, the three mikoshi leave the Otabisho at Shijo to return to Yasaka Shrine, symbolizing the deities’ safe and complete return to their divine home after their city-wide tour.
Don't Miss "Yoiyama" When Visiting the Gion Festival!
🔹 Yoiyama – The Gion Festival’s Eve Celebration
During the Yoiyama period, not only can you view the magnificent yamahoko floats up close, but you can also enjoy a traditional event known as the Byobu Matsuri ("Folding Screen Festival").
Historic shops and traditional machiya townhouses in the float districts open their doors specially for this occasion, showcasing treasured folding screens and artworks that are usually not on public display.
Wandering the streets, you’ll also see heartwarming scenes of children singing traditional songs while selling protective charms (omamori), filling the town with a nostalgic and friendly atmosphere.
✨ Yoiyama (First Festival): July 14–16
✨ Yoiyama (Second Festival): July 21–23
The traditional aesthetic of Kyoto lives on today in products designed for everyday life.
Here, we introduce a selection of items that reflect the beauty and spirit of Kyoto.
2.Recommended Traditional Products from Kyoto
2-1. ＜Benrido＞ Collotype Art Postcards
These postcards reproduce artworks using the collotype printing technique.
Collotype printing is a photographic printing method invented in the 19th century. It allows for the reproduction of realistic and delicate details, much like a photograph, and conveys the serene and gentle atmosphere characteristic of Japan.
Today, the only company preserving and continuing this technique is Benrido in Kyoto, making collotype printing a rare and valuable process even on a global scale.
"Indigo and White"
This work was created by British artist Elizabeth Keith. It depicts a young woman dressed in a blue-and-white kimono standing in front of a shop decorated with matching indigo and white bamboo blinds. The shopkeeper is arranging morning glories in the same colors. The woman, wearing traditional wooden sandals (geta), has extended her left foot and is gazing at products featuring Hokusai’s “Romantic” woodblock prints.
"Celebration Night"
This piece was painted by Japanese artist and illustrator Kōka Yamamura, born in Tokyo. It captures the vibrant mood of a summer night, with colorful fireworks lighting up the sky, evoking the festive spirit of traditional Japanese festivals.
These collotype postcards are a beautiful way to experience the essence of summer in Japan.
View ＜Benrido＞ Collotype Art Postcards here
2-2. ＜Shougadou＞ YUZEN Fan — Kyoto Yuzen Washi Paper Fan
Kyo-Yuzen is a representative dyeing technique of Kyoto. Each sheet of Yuzen paper is dyed by craftsmen in Kyoto workshops, offering a texture, brilliance, and depth that printing cannot replicate.
This folding fan combines the elegance of the traditional “Kiku Karakusa” (chrysanthemum arabesque) pattern with the delicate texture of Kyo-Yuzen washi paper, making it a masterpiece that balances both practicality and artistry.
The design, which expresses traditional Kyo-Yuzen in a modern way, is perfect for pairing with yukata or kimono. During the Gion Festival, held at the height of summer, why not incorporate a Kyo-Yuzen fan into your fashion and feel the summer breeze of Kyoto?
View ＜Shougadou＞ YUZEN Fan here
2-3. ＜Nishijin Okamoto＞ MICOTO SPUTNIK — Earrings Made with Kyoto Nishijin-ori
These earrings are crafted using "Nishijin-ori Kinran," a luxurious silk textile from Kyoto, beautifully blending traditional elegance with innovative modern design.
With over a thousand years of history, Nishijin-ori is one of Kyoto’s most esteemed textile traditions. Among its variations, "Kinran" has long been considered a precious fabric, once offered to shrines and temples. Even today, it is carefully handwoven, thread by thread, by skilled artisans.
Nishijin-ori earrings carry the refined detail and graceful charm of Kyoto’s craftsmanship, enhancing a composed, mature style with added elegance."
They also go perfectly with yukata, a classic symbol of summer in Japan. Consider styling them with your yukata for the Gion Festival!
View ＜Nishijin Okamoto＞ MICOTO SPUTNIK here
３．Conclusion
The Gion Festival is not just a midsummer event but a cultural symbol that embodies faith, craftsmanship, and the spirit of the people of Kyoto. The intricate craftsmanship of Nishijin woven earrings, the elegance of Kyo-Yuzen folding fans, and the heartfelt messages on postcards convey not only beauty but also respect for tradition. When you visit Kyoto during the Gion Festival, we invite you to bring the refined charm of Kyoto into your daily life through our products.