One of the highlights of the Gion Festival, which colors the summer in Kyoto, is the "Yamahoko Tour" of the previous festival, where luxuriously decorated mountains and hoko parade along Todai Road.
It is said that the Gion Festival began in the Heian period in the hope of ending the plague, and on July 7 every year, the "Yamahoko Tour" is held, a festival before the gorgeous mountains and hoko move through the town.
On the 17th, before 17 a.m., at the intersection of Shijo Karasuma in the center of Kyoto City, we sprayed water from Yasaka Shrine to purify the direction of travel. Then, with the long sword hoko that the child rode on in the lead, 9 mountains and hoko began to move forward while playing the Gion Haiko.
On the way, on Shijo-dori, a child with a long sword hoko used his sword to cut off the shimenawa, which is said to mark the boundary between the gods and the human world, and the people along the road applauded.
In addition, at the intersection, the "Tsuji-sushi" that turns at a right angle was demonstrated. The halberd, which weighed about 10 tons, was placed under the wheels, pulled and slid little by little, turning around.
In Kyoto City on the 17th, the maximum temperature reached 11.33 degrees Celsius until 9 a.m., and visitors were admiring the summer tradition of Kyoto in the strong sun.
A boy in the city who came to see the show with his mother said, "It was very powerful and cool."
Suspected heat stroke and transported
According to the Kyoto City Fire Bureau, by 17:11 a.m. on the 8th, five men and women in their 80s who were spectators of the Gion Festival were taken to the hospital with suspected heat stroke. In both cases, the symptoms are mild.
When enjoying the festival, please do not overdo it, move to a cool place, replenish water and salt frequently, and take thorough measures against heat stroke.