The Jidai Matsuri (時代祭 'Festival of the Ages') is 1 of Kyōto's '3 Great Festivals', along with the Aoi Matsuri (葵祭) in May and the Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) in July.
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Aoi Matsuri 2025 #葵祭 #aoimatsuri https://www.ciaonihon.com/532832/
Aoi Matsuri 2025 #葵祭 #aoimatsuri https://www.ciaonihon.com/530039/
A little later Genji's wife, Lady Aoi (葵の上), has her servants maliciously shove Rokujō's carriage aside.
Utterly humiliated and filled with hatred, Rokujō's living spirit will later possess and kill Aoi!
The parade begins at 10:30am from the southern part of the Kyōto Gosho (imperial palace park). In total the 700m-long stream of participants will walk 8km.
It's estimated that this one event costs around 35,000,000 yen (about 320,000 dollars, 245,000 pounds and 284,000 euros).
There are now two main parts to the parade day: the procession, known as 'Rotō-no-gi' (路頭の儀 lit. 'Roadside Ceremony'), and the shrine rites, known as 'Shatō-no-gi' (社頭の儀 'Front of Shrine Ceremony’).
Interestingly it was only after the Tokugawa’s assistance in reviving the festival that it became known as the Aoi Matsuri (葵祭).
Until this time is was known as the 'Kamo Matsuri' (賀茂祭), or simply as 'The Festival' (祭).
Following the Ōnin War (応仁・文明の乱 1467-77) the festival was suspended for over a century and a half.
The Tokugawa shōgunate helped revive the Aoi Matsuri, and it's believed that at this time the Tokugawa first adopted an aoi (wild ginger) leaf motif as their crest (三つ葉葵).
In response the emperor had special rites performed at the Kamo shrines (賀茂神社 - the current Kamigamo-jinja and Shimogamo-jinja) and miraculously the crisis abated.
Over time the rituals grew into a larger, two-week celebration, including horse races and a sumptuous parade🏇
⛈️🙏🐎THE AOI FESTIVAL🐎🎎🌿
The Aoi Matsuri (葵祭) is one of the oldest festivals in the world.
It dates to the the reign of Emperor Kinmei (欽明天皇 509-71), when a series of crop-destroying storms were attributed to the Kamo deities (賀茂の神), angry at the lack of respect shown to them by the people.
Chapter 9 of 'The Tale of Genji' (源氏物語), 'Aoi' (葵), features the Aoi Matsuri (葵祭).
As Hikaru Genji (光源氏) is participating in the festival Lady Rokujō (御息所), his mistress, arrives early in her carriage to save a good spot.
A little later Genji's wife, Lady Aoi (葵の上), has her servants maliciously shove Rokujō's carriage aside.
Utterly humiliated and filled with hatred, Rokujō's living spirit will later possess and kill Aoi!
Interestingly it was only after the Tokugawa’s assistance in reviving the festival that it became known as the Aoi Matsuri (葵祭).
Until this time is was known as the 'Kamo Matsuri' (賀茂祭), or simply as 'The Festival' (祭).
Kyōto has "3 Great Festivals": the Aoi Matsuri, Gion Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri.
In the past the Aoi Matsuri was known as the 'Festival in the North' to differentiate it from Iwashimizu Hachimangū's 'Festival in the South'.
Following the Ōnin War (応仁・文明の乱 1467-77) the festival was suspended for over a century and a half.
The Tokugawa shōgunate helped revive the Aoi Matsuri, and it's believed that at this time the Tokugawa first adopted an aoi (wild ginger) leaf motif as their crest (三つ葉葵).
⛈️🙏🐎THE AOI FESTIVAL🐎🎎🌿
The Aoi Matsuri (葵祭) is one of the oldest festivals in the world.
It dates to the the reign of Emperor Kinmei (欽明天皇 509-71), when a series of crop-destroying storms were attributed to the Kamo deities (賀茂の神), angry at the lack of respect shown to them by the people.
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