Two types of floats, collectively known as 'yamaboko' (山鉾), take part in the Gion Matsuri's (祇園祭) Yamaboko Junkō (山鉾巡行).

The larger are called 'hoko' (鉾) and can hold musicians in their upper floor.
The (generally) smaller floats are known as 'yama' (山).

#祇園祭 #京都 #yamaboko #floats #山鉾

Hoko are named after the halberd (feature of the original goryō-e rituals from which the festival sprung) that soars 25m into the air from their roofs.
Weighing about 12 tons, it takes a team of around 40 men called 'hikiko' (曳き子) to pull the float.
They are encouraged by 'ondotori' (音頭取り), 2-4 men waving fans.

#GionMatsuri #祇園祭

Yama (山), on average around 6m tall, are far smaller than the hoko (鉾)...though a few look very like hoko.

Each is a lavishly decorated stage upon which stories from both myth and history are depicted.
Weighing up to 1,600kg, it takes only about 10 people to pull them along the procession route.

1) NAGINATA-HOKO (長刀鉾)⚔️

The Naginata-hoko always leads the Gion Matsuri's first parade, the 'Saki Matsuri' (先祭り). As it is exempt from the lottery to determine the position of the floats, it was known in the past as 'Kuji-torazu' (くじ取らず 'Lot-drawing Not Necessary').

#naginatahoko #長刀鉾 #chigo #稚児

The float's name comes from the long halberd (鉾 'hoko') that rises from its roof to drive away evil.
It is said the original was made by famed swordsmith Sanjō Munechika (三條宗近) in the 10thC to thank the gods after his daughter was spared from a terrible plague.

#Japan #Kyoto

The Naginata-hoko (長刀鉾 aka Naginata-boko), the best known of the floats, opens and then leads the Yamaboko Junkō (山鉾巡行).

Nowadays it is the only float upon which a 'sacred page' (稚児 'chigo') rides. Originally all hoko floats (鉾) would have had their own chigo.

#祇園祭 #GionMatsuri

2) KIKUSUI-BOKO (菊水鉾)💧

The Kikusui-boko is named after a local spring called 'Kikusui-i' (菊水井 'Chrysanthemum Water Well') and the Chinese story of the 'Chrysanthemum Boy', an exiled favourite of the emperor who lived for 700 years by drinking dew from chrysanthemums.

#kikusuiboko #菊水鉾

A student of the famed tea master Sen-no-Rikyu (千利休 1522-91) built a small teahouse close to the old well and christened it 'Kikusui-i' (菊水井). The float later took this name.

The original float was destroyed in the 1864 Kinmon Incident (禁門の変) and finally rebuilt in 1952.

#GionMatsuri #菊水井 #千利休

3) KOI-YAMA (鯉山)🐟

Koi-yama tells the Chinese legend of a carp that struggled up 'Ryūmon-no-taki' (竜門の滝 'Dragon Gate Waterfall') on the Yellow River to become a dragon.
The float's small shrine is dedicated to Susanoo (須佐之男), god of the sea, storms and Yasaka-jinja.

#鯉山 #koiyama #carp #dragon

Float talismans, echoing the carp's determination, promise advancement in life.

The 16thC Belgian tapestry (イーリアス) was purchased by Hasekura Tsunenaga (支倉六右衛門常長) on his European tour for Date Masamune (伊達政宗 1567-1636). It depicts images from the Trojan War.

#京都 #Kyoto #TrojanWar

4) KAKKYO-YAMA (郭巨山)🕳️

The uniquely roofed Kakkyo-yama ('Pot-Digging Float') is named after a story in 'The 24 Filial Exemplars' (二十四孝).
Kakkyo is too poor to feed his family and concludes he must bury his son alive so that there is enough food for his aged mother.

#Kakkyoyama #郭巨山

Upon digging the grave he discovers gold and all is well.
The story teaches that filial piety will reap rewards!🤔

This is the only 'yama' float with a roof (日覆障子), which dates to the Edo period. American art historian Ernest Fenollosa recorded visiting the float in 1888.

5) KITAKANNON-YAMA (北観音山)🩹

First appearing in 1353, Kitakannon-yama (the 'North Kannon Float'), known also as 'Nobori Kannon' (上り観音山 'Ascending Kannon'), for a long time led the festival's 'Ato Matsuri' (後祭り) on July 24th.
It is now 25th float in the lineup.

#Kitakannonyama #北観音山 #祇園祭

The float features images of Yōryū 'Willow' Kannon (楊柳観音), healer of diseases and 1 of Kannon's 33 forms, and Idaten (韋駄天), guardian of the dharma.

At the parade's end people rush to take the float's willow leaves.
It may look like a hoko, but the pine indicates it's a yama.

6) MINAMIKANNON-YAMA (南観音山)🧳

In former times the 2 Kannon-yama floats took turns each year to participate, but now both participate in the Ato-no-Matsuri.
Nicknamed 'Kudari Kannon' (下り観音), the 'Descending Kannon', Minamikannon-yama once ended the parade.

#Minamikannonyama #南観音山

The float takes its name from the story of Zenzai-dōji (善財童子), a boy who sought enlightenment.

He discovered 53 spiritual teachers on his travels. The 28th (South Sea) Kannon showed him how to save humans from suffering! In the end Zenzai-dōji became a Bodhisattva.

#Japan #Zenzaidoji #善財童子

The float enshrines Yōryū Kannon (楊柳観音), known after the willow branch the bodhisattva holds. Made in Kamakura times, only the chest and head survived fire in 1788.

Protecting against illness, this form of Kannon is also named Yakuō Bosatsu (薬王菩薩 'Medicine Bodhisattva').

7) ABURA TENJIN-YAMA (油天神山)🐂

Abura Tenjin-yama enshrines Sugawara-no-Michizane (菅原道真 845-903) and is named after the small Tenjin shrine (天満宮) dedicated to him in the neighbourhood of Abura-no-kōji (油小路).
The float was reconstructed after fire in 1864.

#油天神山 #Aburatenjinyama

The float is also nicknamed 'Ushi Tenjin-yama' (牛天神山) as the enshrined statue (carved in 1630) would traditionally be transferred to the yama on the 'day of the ox' (勧請の日が丑の日). These animals were deeply connected to the cult of Tenjin (Sugawara-no-Michizane).

#祇園祭 #GionMatsuri

8) KURONUSHI-YAMA (黒主山)🌸

Kuronushi-yama depicts the Noh play 'Shiga' (志賀) by Zeami (世阿弥元清 1363-1443).
The ghost of Ōtomo-no-Kuronushi (大友黒主), 1 of the '6 Poet Immortals' (六歌仙 'Rokkasen'), is shown admiring cherry blossoms in the Shiga countryside.

#黒主山 #Kuronushiyama

Prior to the Ōnin War it is said the float was named after the cherry-blossom loving poet Saigyō (西行法師 1118-90), but when it reappeared its name had for some reason been changed.

The current image of Ōtomo dates to 1789. It is the only lacquered float in the parade.

#祇園祭

9) HASHIBENKEI-YAMA (橋弁慶山)🌉

Hashibenkei-yama is based on the Noh play 'Hashibenkei' (橋弁慶). It depicts the famous battle between child-warrior Ushiwakamaru (牛若丸 1159-89 - aka Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune) and Saitō Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶 1155-89) on Gojō Bridge (五条大橋).

#Hashibenkeiyama #橋弁慶山

The float (24th of 34) now opens the Ato Matsuri (後祭り) on July 24th.

The dolls of Ushiwakamaru (牛若丸) and Benkei have inscriptions that date them to 1537 and 1563, but it is thought the originals were made by the great Kamakura period sculptor Kōun (康運).

10) NIWATORI-BOKO (鶏鉾)🐓

Niwatori-boko, the 'Hen Float', tells the tale of China's Emperor Yao (尧 2356-2255BC), whose reign was so well-governed that the drums (struck when complaints were lodged) grew moss and became the home of hens.

#Niwatoriboko #鶏鉾

The float symbolises the wish for peace.

Its emblem is a hen (circle) inside a drum (triangle).

The precious 16thC Belgium tapestry was brought back to Japan from Spain by Hasekura Tsunenaga (支倉常長 d.1622) for Date Masamune (伊達政宗), and was purchased by the float in 1815.

11) YAMABUSHI-YAMA (山伏山)😇

Yamabushi-yama is named after the mountain ascetic Jōzō Kisho (浄蔵貴所 891-964). In 952 he saved Hōkan-ji's leaning pagoda (八坂塔 'Yasaka-no-tō') by summoning a mysterious breeze through prayer. He also resurrected his father to say goodbye at Modori-bashi bridge!

#山伏山 #京都

Shortly before the parade, priests from Yasaka-jinja (八坂神社), the chief abbot of Rokkaku-dō (六角堂) and other practicing yamabushi (山伏) all offer prayers at the float.

The yamabushi will also pay their respects at the same time to the En-no-Gyōja-yama (役行者山).

#祇園祭 #Yamabushiyama #山伏山

12) EN-NO-GYŌJA-YAMA (役行者山)🐚

En-no-Gyōja-yama is named after the founder of Shugendō (修験道), En-no-Gyōja (役行者 634-700).
Dating to before the Ōnin War (応仁の乱-1467), the float also depicts the deities Hitokotonushi (一言主) and Katsuragi (葛城神).

#役行者山 #Ennogyojayama

It is said En-no-Gyōja tried to convince Hitokotonushi to build a bridge from Mt Katsuragi to Mt Yoshino (it didn't go well).

On 16th July shugen-ja devotees from Shōgo-in (聖護院 - head temple of Honzan Shugen 本山修験宗) perform a sacred Goma-daki rite (護摩焚き) to dispel evil.

#Shogoin #聖護院

13) HAKUGA-YAMA (伯牙山)🎶

Hakuga-yama is also known as 'Kotowari-yama' (琴破山), the 'Koto Breaking Float'.

It tells the tale of Hakuga, a koto player who befriends a woodcutter called Shōshiki (鐘子期) whilst out practicing in the forest.

#伯牙山 #琴破山 #Hakugayama

They agree to meet again a year later.
When Hakuga arrives he is devastated to find Shōshiki has died. He breaks his koto, knowing no-one else will appreciate his music as much as his friend did.

The float is uniquely Chinese in style and depicts Hakuga with a hatchet and koto.

#Hakugayama #koto #Kyoto

14) TAISHI-YAMA (太子山)🪷

Taishi-yama is dedicated to Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子 572-622, aka Shōtoku Taishi), the great propagator of Buddhism.
This float alone uses a cedar (not the usual pine) as a conduit for the gods.

#GionFestival #祇園祭 #Kyoto #京都 #Japan