The Kyoto Aoi Festival recreates a procession where
over 500 people dressed in Heian Era clothes are
delivering a message and offerings from the Emperor to
the two Kamo Shrines. According to old records the
messenger would be on horseback with a gold sword at
his side as he led the procession. Part of the long train is
another important figure, the High Priestess. Before the
high priestess was chosen from the sisters related to the
Emperor and served the Kamo Shrines. Today they are
picked among the unmarried women in Kyoto. The high
priestess performs the rituals at the shrines and prior the
festival they must go through a purification ceremony.
She is then carried on a palanquin while wearing many
traditional kimono layers.
In the morning the festival begins at the Gosho Imperial
Palace and firsts stops at Shimogamo Shrine. After the
rites are performed, the procession continues to
Kamigamo Shrine. Once the final rites are completed the
Yabusame (horseback archery) demonstrations begin.
The horseback archery course utilizes the grassy areas
outside the main shrine. These horses run at full speed
while skilled archers dressed in traditional attire fire
arrows at a target from the steed. By around 5pm the
Kyoto Aoi Festival comes to a close.
Kyoto Aoi Festival can trace its origins back to the 6th
century as it is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki. During that
time terrible weather was ruining the crops in the area
and diseases were rampant upon the population.
Diviners from that time said that it was the divine
punishment of the deities from the Kamo Shrines. It was
then the Emperor sent his messenger on a galloping
horse with offerings for the deities. There were times
when the festival did not happen due to governmental
transition or war. The current festival has been annually
held since 1953.
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