Monday, June 18, 2007

Aoi Matsuri

Festival: Aoi Matsuri
Area: Kyoto

Kamigamo-Jinja (Shrines) and Shimogamo-Jinja (Shrines) have a parade procession of colorful costumes of the Heian Period in which more than 600 people participate. This "Aoi Matsuri" is one of the three largest festivals in Kyoto.

History:

The festival owes its existence to bad weather and an impious populace. Terrible storms had been battering the country and the ruler of the day, Emperor Kimmei, had discovered from a soothsayer that the gods of the Kamo shrines were furious at the peoples' impiety and had called up the storms as punishment. In order to make amends the Emperor sent some of his courtiers to pay homage to the Kamigamo and Shimogamo shrines and present offerings to the irate gods. The storms soon abated and the people were able to enjoy abundant harvests. The festival continues to this day in commemoration of these events.

The procession through the city is solemn and slow, with courtiers of every rank and file observing the same centuries-old order. The Shimogamo Shrine is the first to be reached and here prayers are offered, warriors dance and a horse dedicated to consoling the gods demonstrates its speed at running, before the participants depart for the Kamigamo Shrine and the final rituals of the day.


What we can see during the celebration:

More than 600 people dressed in period costumes follow behind decorated ox-drawn carriages in the area around the Kamigamo Shrine. Everyone and everything involved in the procession is adorned with the delightful hollyhock flowers that have given the festival its name. The rituals and customs of this festival have been followed since the 6th century, during the Heian period (764-1185).


posted by harith(~,~)

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