THE GIST OF THIS ARTICLE
- Page 1 What is Yoiyama? , Breaking 2023
- 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 Report on 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 three consecutive days before Yamaboko parade, and the eve of the parade.
In Atomatsuri, Yamaboko parade is on 24th. We call 23th Yoiyama, 22th Yoiyoiyama, and 21st Yoiyoiyoiyama precisely.
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 2023
7/23 Yoi Yama 宵山
Ohake Kiyoharae Shiki took place to prepare for the Mikoshis.
Still crowded though it is Sunday evening.
This is the typical Atomatsuri sky. Beautiful and sad.
Abare Kannnon will take place tonight. Around 11:00, at Minami Kannon Yama.
7/22 Yoi-yoi Yama宵々山
19:00～
The Goshintais of Takayama are in brand-new outfits this year. Chimaki was sold out aound 10 p.m.
Takayama and Shinmachi street (Ninami Kannon yama, Kita Kannon Yama, Hachiman Yama, and Ofune Hoko is located) are so crowded.
9:00～11:00
やっほー
The map of the year is available at Tourist Information Center or Kaisyos of eacha Yamahoko.
Near Minami Kannon Yama around 9 a.m. Not so crowded as expected. We have enough time to admire the floats.
At Takayama, people want souvenirs except Goshuin and Chimaki wait in line.
The spacial printed Goshuin is available. It indicates the Goshintai figurine wear brand-new outfits this year.
We can see Goshintai figurine in an optical store called Daigakudo (大学堂)
The pillars and other parts are painted in black. This year, we cannot see what the bird is. Enjoy in in the photo above. We can be in Takayama for 500 yen.
At Hachiman Yama, we can find a Byobu picture that describes the Gion Matsuri in the mid-17th century.
In the red cirlcle, we can find a Kuza Komagata Chigo near the Mikoshi.
He has a figurine of a horse’s head in his chest.
Around 9 a.m. at Koiyama, people wait in line for souvenirs. This year, it offers a digital Gosyuin Stamp. Scan the QR cord.
but I saw a pile of smth on Sanpos, 察してくれ
7/21 Yoi-yoi-yoi Yama 宵々々山
Yoi-yoi-yoi Yama started today. It was a Friday night and the streets and Kaisyos are crowded.
At Koiyama and Hachiman Yama, we wait in line for a while to enter the Kaiyo.
Just a couple of minutes, don’t worry.
At Kuronushi Yama, brand-new Goshuin stamps are available.
We also can have a printed one at Kuronushi Yama. (left) At Hashibenkei Yama, Goshuin of Chikara Nawa Goshuin is available.
Of course Chikara Nawa amulet (Chinowa) also is available,
Takayama offers 2 kinds of Goshuin stamps, Sake, bags, and other souvenirs.
7/20 before Yoi-yoi-yoi-Yama
The pillars of Taka Yama were painted in black.( Last year, they were not painted.)
Kitakannon Yama was constructed and the musicians plays the Ohayashi on it.
Minami Kannnon Yama, too.
Ofune Hoko has a brand-new headpiece. To commemorate the renewal, newly-designed Tenugui is available.
I’m sure Ofune Hoko lovers collect the Tenuguis of it. It would be sold out.
The Komagata Chochin lanterns of Koi Yama are painted in red. It goes with the color of the twilight sky. (Around 19:20)
En no Gyoja Yama offers Chinowa.
Did’t do Chinowa Kuguri at Nagoshi no Harae? Go to En no Gyoja Yama.
Byobu Matsuri started.
This year, a shop or an office let us see a beautiful Byobu.
There were a few tourists.
7/19
Three Mikoshis and the deities stay in Otabisho.
At Otabiho, a Tenugui towel Takayama is printed is available.
The musicians of Minami Kannon Yama dedicated their music to the deities at Otabisho.
7/18
We can find the structure of Ofunehoko and Minami Kannon Yama.
Taka Yama already has Shin Matsu (the pine tree on the roof).
When would we go the 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).
