I went watching "Aoi Matsuri (葵祭)" with my friend on 15th May. It is famous for one of the big three festivals in Kyoto. A legend says that its origin dates back to 567 when Emperor Kinmei (reigned 539-571) consulted a fortune-teller about the reason of very terrible storms all over Japan at that time. The fortune-teller told the Emperor that the anger of the Great Deities of Kamo caused those serious disasters and famines. Therefore, the hourse racing and the other rituals were held to appease the anger by an Imperial order and people could recover calm nature, good crops and health. That was the biginning of "Aoi Matsuri".
The Great Deities of Kamo are worshiped within Kamigamo and Shimogamo Jinja Shrines now. So, "Aoi Matsuri" was offered to these two Shrines. The deputies of an Imperial messenger and an Imperial maiden in the service of these shrines leave the Kyoto Imperial Palace for Kamigamo and Shimogamo Jinja Shrines with a lot of attendants and give the Imperial messages to the priests now. People can watch their long parade from every roadside.
We watched it twice at every front approach to Shimogamo and Kamigamo Jinja Shrines this year. The parade visits Shimogamo and performs rituals there before reaching Kamigamo. This parade consists of two parts: the first one is the main parade by the deputy of an Imperial messenger and the second one is the ladies' parade by the deputy of an Imperial maiden.
I show the main one in this article.
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| All of the parade is lead by police |
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| The first participants of main parade are the same jockeys of Kamo Kurabeuma on 5th May |
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| The other participant on the horse, too, is followed by attendants |
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| Is he a fan of Hanshin Tigers?! |
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| A parasol |
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| Boxes are carried by young boys |
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| Please look at his cap It does not have any tassels but a long tall tail "Bunkan (文官)", or a civil servant wears this kind of cap |
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| A horse |
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| Look at his cap It has a pair of black tassels on his ears but its tail is not so long Moreover, he has a few arrows on his back This is "Bukan (武官)", or a military officer |
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| A traditional car lead by an ox decorated with artificial flowers of wisteria |
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| The side of the same car at the approach to Shimogamo Jinja Shrine |
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| An ox |
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| The main person of this parade, the deputy of Imperial messenger |
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| He is in all black, which means his high court rank His horse is gorgeous, too |
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| A flower basket |
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| Fur ornaments were very precious |
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| The main parade ends with this flower basket of kerria |
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