What is Aoi Festival

Aoi festival is one of the three major festivals (Gion festival and Jidai festival) of Kyoto which is held in May 15th.

(Compeering with Iwasimizu-hachimangu’s festival which is called as the south festival, Aoi festival is called as the north festival.) Gion Festival was a festival of the people, and Nobles visit to sightseeing to Aoi festival. There is a history scince the Heian period. It has been carried the traditional customs of the few dynasty is left.

History

The origin of the festival can be retraced the past to the 5th century. In the 5th century, there was a typhoon which is damaged farm product and the emperor ordered to trace the cause to the court fortune-tellers. And they said the cause is the god of the river is molested. So under the imperial order, mystic rites have done. In 819 A.D. this function became one of the most important ceremonies. During the Heian period a festival pointed this Aoi festival. Many novels and essays mentioned about the festival.

Highlight

The highlight of the festival is the Heian period parade. The parade is mainly composed with imperial envoys, over 500 people, more than 1 kilo meters (the imperial envoys come to Kyoto for this festival). The last part of the Heian period, there is women part. And from the carriage pulled cow you can see the trail of Kimono. This is a way to announce to the around that noble person in there.