Aoi Matsuri: A Kyoto Festival with a Long History

An Aristocratic Procession

The Aoi Matsuri, ranked among Kyoto’s top three festivals, is the main shrine festival for Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shrines. The event is said to have originated in the reign of Emperor Kinmei (r. 540–571), during which the country was beset by crop failure, starvation, and epidemic disease. Although the event fell into decline in the medieval period, it was revived in 1694, and has continued to be held ever since.

While there are associated ceremonies on other days, the main event is the great procession that takes place on May 15 over eight kilometers from Kyoto’s Imperial Palace to Kamigamo Shrine, with more than 500 people dressed in Heian period (794–1185) aristocratic attire. The festival is named after the aoi or hollyhock used to decorate the ox-drawn carts and bamboo curtains that feature in the parade.

(Originally written in English. Banner image: The Aoi Matsuri parade on May 15, 2024. © Jiji.)