Do you know the three major festivals in Kyoto?
(SARUDONO)
Aoi Festival in May
Gion Festival in August
Era Festival in October
right？
As expected of you, Sarudono, you have given an excellent answer!
Tomorrow, on the 15th,
you can see the main event of Aoi Festival, one of the three major festivals of Japan!
(SARUDONO)
I see.
Aoi Festival was originally called KamoFestival.
But it was called “Aoi Matsuri” in Edo period when I was there.
The name of the festival has changed from Kamofestival to Aoi festival.
(SARUDONO)
Yes.
On the day of the festival, the curtains of the imperial palace at the inner imperial palace, oxcarts, imperial envoys, crowns of attendants, oxen and horses, etc., were all decorated with hollyhock leaves.
That’s why it was called “Aoi Matsuri” (hollyhock festival).
I see.
Tomorrow
About 500 people, 40 horses, 4 cows, 2 ox carts, 1 palanquin, all dressed in Heian period costumes, will walk from Kyoto Imperial Palace to Shimogamo-jinja Shrine,and from Shimogamo-jinja Shrine to Kamigamo-jinja Shrine.
The departure time from the Kyoto Imperial Palace is 10:30 a.m.
500 people in total…
That’s quite a lot of people!
It must be a spectacular sight!
Among them,
the highlight is
The heroine, Saiohyo, who wears juni-hitoe (12-layered kimono) and rides in a palanquin.
Apparently, being selected as a Saio-dai is an amazing thing!
The selection process is undisclosed,
but only those recommended by Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City are chosen based on criteria such as education, good looks, and conduct.
There is also an interview.
Every year, the Saio-dai is chosen from daughters in their 20s who were born into noble families, such as temples, shrines, cultural figures, businessmen, and so on, all of which are associated with Kyoto.
I heard that they have to prepare 20 million yen for the preparation!
(SARUDONO)
What a surprise!
By the way,
this year’s 66th Saio-dai was Ms. Matsuura, who works for a travel agency, JTB.
and her father is the head priest of Mibudera Temple.
I wish I could go back in time to the Heian period.
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