I went watching "Kamo Kurabeuma (賀茂競馬)" with my friend at Kamigamo Jinja Shrine (上賀茂神社) on 5th May. "Kurabeuma" means horse racing. It is a very important Shinto ritual whose result tells us how the year may pass or if we can be happy through the year. People in Kyoto love this festival very much and find the beginning of early summer out from it, too.
This is my video.
The right and left team run six races. The jockeys of left team attires in red and the right jockeys, in black. Every team have two gardians, a praying supporter and his boy helper. Judges are only from the left gardians, while assistant judges are only from the right gardians. The praying supporters are given court ranks temporarily, but the left supporter is higher than the right. Moreover, the left team is to win the first race by the rule. The jockeys do not start to run at the same time, but the right jockey run after the left jockey finishes. In addition, at the last race this year, the right jockey was youngest and lacked an experience, although the left jockey was the eldest and most experienced expert.
What a terrible foul play!?
No. It is good. Because the left team must win. The year when the left team wins will be a good year, filled with good harvests. It means various kinds of happiness.
By the way, 5th May is the date of "Tango no sekku (端午の節句)" and we usually pray for boys' health and bravery on that day. We often take a bath with the leaves of iris floated every year. In "Kamo Kurabeuma", all priests and the other participants wore them on their waists. This flower sometimes means a military spirit. Also, the families who have a boy usually raise carp-shaped wind socks called "鯉幟 (koinobori)" and display "五月人形 (gogatsu ningyo-)", or a doll of healthy brave boy every year. We often regard carp as the symbol of success in life because they are enough courageous to jump up the waterfall. Today it is a national holiday called "Kodomo no hi (子供の日)", or the Children's Day.
Those are Japanese ways of celebration, however, "Tango no sekku" itself was originally from ancient China (of course, the Chinese pronunciation is different to the Japanese one). This word means the beginning of May and May is the month of horse in Chinese zodiac. In my imagination, the horse racing at Kamigamo Jinja Shrine on 5th May might have some relation with it.
After horse racing, we saw the inner part of Shrine opened specially with a Shinto purifying ritual.
You can watch "Kamo Kurabeuma" free, however, you can enjoy it more at a closer area for 500 yens (I was here), and reserved seats maybe need 1000 yens. If you read the Japanese descriptions well, I recommand to purchase the leaflet. It is very thin but can help you understand this traditional horse racing.
Also, if you have more time and do not mind religious matters, I recommend you to see the speceially opened Shrine.
Date: 5th May
Time:
previous rituals: 10:00 a.m.
horse racing: 2:00 p.m. (I watched this)
Fee:
leftwing: free
closer standing area: 500 yen (I was here)
closest sitting seat: about 1000 yen (sorry, I cannot research well)
leaflet: 500 yen
inner part of Shrine: about 1000 yen (sorry, I have forgot)
Access:
Kamigamo Jinja Mae Stop of Municipal Bus bound for Kamigamo Jinja, Line 4
* 15 minutes ride from Kitayama Station #2 of Subway Karasuma Line
* 30 minutes ride from Demachi Yanagi Station of Keihan Line
* 60 minutes ride from Kyoto Station
Kamigamo Misonobashi Stop of Municipal Bus bound for Nishigamo Shako, Line 37
* 20 minutes ride from Kitaoji Station of Subway Karasuma Line
Thank you for reading !
Sorry for my poor English, please tell me my errors if you like !
This is my video.
 |
| The jockey of left team in red |
 |
| The jockey of right team in black |
 |
| The praying supporter of left team gives a signal with a drum to inform the judges about a jockey running to the end |
What a terrible foul play!?
No. It is good. Because the left team must win. The year when the left team wins will be a good year, filled with good harvests. It means various kinds of happiness.
 |
| Koinobori at Dam Park Ohno on 17th April Families who have a boy begin to raise them near 5th May |
Those are Japanese ways of celebration, however, "Tango no sekku" itself was originally from ancient China (of course, the Chinese pronunciation is different to the Japanese one). This word means the beginning of May and May is the month of horse in Chinese zodiac. In my imagination, the horse racing at Kamigamo Jinja Shrine on 5th May might have some relation with it.
After horse racing, we saw the inner part of Shrine opened specially with a Shinto purifying ritual.
You can watch "Kamo Kurabeuma" free, however, you can enjoy it more at a closer area for 500 yens (I was here), and reserved seats maybe need 1000 yens. If you read the Japanese descriptions well, I recommand to purchase the leaflet. It is very thin but can help you understand this traditional horse racing.
Also, if you have more time and do not mind religious matters, I recommend you to see the speceially opened Shrine.
Date: 5th May
Time:
previous rituals: 10:00 a.m.
horse racing: 2:00 p.m. (I watched this)
Fee:
leftwing: free
closer standing area: 500 yen (I was here)
closest sitting seat: about 1000 yen (sorry, I cannot research well)
leaflet: 500 yen
inner part of Shrine: about 1000 yen (sorry, I have forgot)
Access:
Kamigamo Jinja Mae Stop of Municipal Bus bound for Kamigamo Jinja, Line 4
* 15 minutes ride from Kitayama Station #2 of Subway Karasuma Line
* 30 minutes ride from Demachi Yanagi Station of Keihan Line
* 60 minutes ride from Kyoto Station
Kamigamo Misonobashi Stop of Municipal Bus bound for Nishigamo Shako, Line 37
* 20 minutes ride from Kitaoji Station of Subway Karasuma Line
Kamigamo Misonobashi Stop of Municipal Bus bound for Nishigamo Shako, Line 9
Thank you for reading !
Sorry for my poor English, please tell me my errors if you like !
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