The Kyoto Aoi Festival is one of the most
famous
festivals in the city. It is annually held on May 15 and is
the
festival of the two Kamo Shrines. The Kyoto Aoi Festival
recreates a procession of officials who are delivering a
message from the Emperor to the shrines.
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.
Please see
below for tours that include Kyoto Aoi Festival:
