THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE
- Page 1 What is Yoiyama? Breaking 2026, When would we go? Access
- Page 2 The ways to enjoy, Koi Yama, Hachiman Yama
- Page 3 Kuronushi Yama, En no Gyoja Yama
- Page 4 Taka Yama, Jyomyo Yama, Hashi Benkei Yama, Suzuka Yama
- Page 5 Kita Kannon Yama, Minami Kannon Yama
- Page 6 On floats, Ohayashi music, Byobu Matsuri
- Page 7 Abare Kannon, shopping
- Page 8 Breaking report 2025
- Page 9 Breaking report 2024
- Page 10 Breaking report on 2023
- Page 11 Breakig report 2022, bibliography
The following is the contents of this article.
What is Yoiyama? 宵山とは
Yoiyama means a kind of small festivals held a few days before in Hokomachi.
Hokomachi is a district where we can find Yamaboko floats. As seen in the photo above, there are many paper lanterns hanging on Yamaboko floats.
Yoiyama is preparation for Mikoshi and Yamaboko parade. It sitll reminds secret when it started but Gion Groyo-e Saiki, a book on Gion Goryo-e (the former name of Gion matsuri.), tells us it began in the 18th century.
Today, the word Yoiyama has two meanings; The four consecutive days before Yamahooko parade, and the eve of the parade.
In Atomatsuri, Yamaboko parade is on 24th. We call 23th Yoiyama, 22th Yoiyoi-yama, 21st Yoiyoiyoi-yama, and 20th Yoiyoiyoiyoi-yama respectively.
In this article, we call the nights of 21~23th Yoiyama.
The way to Enjoy Atomatsuri
- Visit Otabisho to See Mikoshis.
- See Kaisho Kazari
- See Goshintai figurine of each Hoko.
- Buy souvenirs like Chimaki, Tenuguis and others.
- Collect Goshuin stamps
- On some of the floats
- Enjoy Gion Bayashi music.
- Enjoy Byobu Matsuri
- Abare Kannon
- Shopping
For more info. on Gion matsuri
- Why celebrated?
- Why Gion matsuri started in the private garden of emperors? (It is a post of the rock garden of Ryoanji and shows you the meaning of Japanese garden.)
- Gozu tenno and epidemics
- Mikoshis of Gion Matsuri
- When Yamahoko parade started?
- How to make Yamahoko floats?
- All the Yamahoko floats
- Sakimatsuri Yoiyama
- Atomatsuri Yoiyama
Breaking report 2026
7月22日 宵山 あばれ観音
取り急ぎご連絡まで。
7月21日 宵々山
ぎやああああああHOT, BOILING, HUMIDぉぉぉぉぉ！！！！！
Near Kita Kannon Yama. More crowded than yesterday but not as Sakimatsuri. It was so humid.
Near Takayama and Ofune Hoko, security guards ask us, “Tachidomarazuni Osusumi Kudasai (Keep Going)!” Next to Kita Kannon Yama, there is an enough room for admiring the Ohahasy music.
We can enjoy Ohayashi music at Kitaka Kannon Yama, Minami Kannon Yama, Takayama, and Ofune Hoko. There is a crowd around them.
At Minami Kannon Yama, the Goshuin of Kirin is available. The stamps are peculiar. They are made of erasers.
The one of Kita Kannon Yama. So chic.
Walk from Kita Kannon Yama to Minami Kannon Yama. You’ll find a willow tree at the corner. Turn left.
Chimaki and other goods of Hotei Yama, the long-lost Yamahoko, are available.
At Koiyama, a ready-made of Goshuin is available. For those who want to be a dragon. Chimakis are not sold out. 取り急ぎご連絡まで。
Why dragon? Check this out.
Tomorrow, ABARE KANNON!!! At Minami Kannon Yama, around 23:00.
DO NOT MISS IT!!! STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!!!
7月21日 宵々々山
Around 19:00 at Koiyama.
Kaisho Kazari. Footage of 2024.
I didn’t wait to see Kaisyho Kazari there and Chimaki was not sold out.
At Ennno Gyojya Yama, we can experience Chinowa Kuguri.
At Takayama, we can make donations for its brand-new wheels.
Fune Hoko gave the wheels Takayama has. They are over 100 years old and nearly worn-out. They have an engraved letters “船鉾(Fune Hoko)” on their spoke.
And cloud-funding.
Not as crowded as Sakimatsuri. 取り急ぎご連絡まで。
At Hotei Yama Kaisyo, the long-lost Yamahoko, Chimaki and Tenugui towel are available.
7月20日 宵々々々山
ぎやああああああBOILING HOT!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!!!
We can hear Gion Bayashi of Ato Matsuri 2026 at last.
Today, Hikizome test run took place. Enjoy the footage of 2025
At Kuronushi Yama, we can enjoy the reflection. This year, Tenugui towel of the Black Cat is available. The cat is a messenger of Shuyashajin of Danoh Horinji temple.
This Goshuin is available only in December.
though the cat figurine is available all through the year.
We are warned not to wait in front of Kaisho before 10:00.
取り急ぎご連絡まで。
7月19日
Now Kitakanonon Yama, Minami Kannon Yama, and Takayama are equipped with a Shin Matsu.
7月17日
Now that the deities stay in Otabisho.
When would we go Yoiyama?
In daytime or night
If you wanted Chimaki, Goshuin stamp, and other things at Kaisyo, it would be better go there in daytime though Yoi of Yoiyama means “night.” At night, many people visited Kaisyo and it might take time to have these things.
We have hot days in daytime usually. Prepare for them!
In addition to it, we have some rituals on 23th July. Around 2:00 p.m., in front of Kaisyo of Enno Gyojya yama, Gomadaki Kuyo ritual is held. In this ritual, we have our wish on a small piece of wood. And Gyoja, a kind of Buddhist monk, belong to Shogoin temple set fire these pieces of wood to pray for us.
In the video, we can see small pieces of paper hanging on a rope. When the ritual is finished, we can have them as an amulet which saves us from bad luck.
In daytime, buy the things you want and enjoy Yamaboko floats, paper lanterns and Kaisyo Kazari.
At twilight
We have two matsrui in Gion matsuri; Saki matsruri and Ato matsuri. In Ato matsuri, the twilight reminds of us autumn though we are in the midst of summer.
Car-free zone?
In Ato matsuri, we have car-free zones only around Yamaboko floats. And we don’t have one-way roads.
Go anywhere you want!
Access to Yoiyama
Take trains, not buses.
Following are the stations near Hokomacho (the enclosed area in blue line);
Kyoto City Subway Shijo station(the blue train on the map), Hankyu Karasuma station (the red train), and Keihan Shijo Kawaramachi station (the green train).
