Gion Festival – Kyoto, Japan
The Gion Festival, or Gion Matsuri, is one of Japan’s largest festivals. It takes place annually during the month of July in Kyoto. The festival originated in 869 as part of a religious purification ritual to appease the gods responsible for causing natural disasters. In the late 800s when the Japanese were suffering from plague and pestilences, as part of the ritual, Emperor Seiwa ordered people to pray to the god of the Yasaka Shrine to deliver them. This practice was revived when later outbreaks occurred, and in 970 was decreed an annual event that has only rarely been called off.
In 1533, the Ashikaga shogunate put a halt to all religious events, including the Gion Matsuri, and the people protested, saying they would rather have the procession than the rituals. This protest led the way for the Gion Festival’s current form.
Over the centuries, as the Japanese merchant class became more wealthy and powerful, the Gion Matsuri turned into an elaborate festival. Today, the festival has events taking place throughout Kyoto in the 31 days it lasts. A short list of the festivities includes the five day opening ceremony in all of Kyoto’s participating neighborhoods, numerous parades (including the Lantern parade and the parade of yamaboko floats), shrine visits, dedicative art performances, and ritual cleansings.