2023/05/16

First Aoi Matsuri in 4 years

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The Aoi Matsuri festival, which was postponed to today due to rain, was held for the first time in four years.

I made time to go to the Kyoto Imperial Palace to see it. When I arrived, I was just at the latter half of the procession.

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This elegant parade is composed of 500 people dressed as nobles and servants of the Heian Era, about 1,200 years ago.

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The festival queen is the Royal Princess "Saiodai" carried on a palanquin, and about 30 nobles appear on horseback.

All participants wear hollyhock leaves on their heads and costumes. Carriages pulled by oxen are decorated with wisteria flowers and are gorgeous.

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I noticed a particularly large number of inbound tourists. Other festivals are also returning to their pre-Corona mode, and Kyoto finally seems to be bustling with activity again.
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posted by toons at 17:31 | diary