229

Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri-Community and Communication in an Ancient City Festival-

Rui Shen（Stephen Richmond ゼミ）

1. Introduction

from the local government, the businessmenin the city selling matsuri-related goods, andIn Japan, an enormous number of traditional

spectators who come to join the matsuri. The

matsuri (festivals) have been observed sinceancient times, and many have continued rightup until the present day. In Japan, matsuri havetheir origins in Shinto and Buddhism, and usually
held by a local shrine or temple with various
activities and parades, as these are the two main
religions in Japan.
Different matsuri tend to reflect different local
cultures, and have great cultural value. In 1979, as“one of Japan’s best three matsuri”, as reporteds Gionby the website Japan-guide.com , Kyoto’
Matsuri was chosen as one example of Japan’simportant intangible cultural heritage, andthus was guaranteed permanent protection.
The Matsuri is an extremely important event in
the culture of Kyoto and wider Japan, bringing
individuals together and playing an importantrole in spiritual and cultural communication. In
this essay I would like to discuss how Kyoto’s
Gion Matsuri, an ancient festival, influences local
communities, interpersonal communication andintercultural communication in the present day.

Gion Matsuri lasts for the entire month of July,

2. A Brief History of the Gion Matsuri
As one of Japan’s three most popular
matsuri, the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto is an annual
event which initiated from Yasaka Shrine(formerly known as Gion-Sha), from where theevent begins every year. The entire downtown
area of Kyoto is involved, including theorganizers and people who participate in making
sure the matsuri runs smoothly with support

during which time numerous activities are held.
The highlight of these is the grand parade of
the 32 decorated floats (Yamaboko Junkō ) on theseventeenth.
Back in 869 when Kyoto was the capital ofJapan, a series of epidemic plagues originatedin the city and spread all over the country.
Japanese people at the time believed that GozuTennō , the epidemic god, caused the plagues;
this deity functioned as a god of the spreadof epidemics from early Heian period. To try
and restore clam to his nation, the emperor
dispatched a special messenger to Yasaka Shrine
to appeal to citizens to pray for the immediate
end of the terrible plague. Furthermore, 66
hoko (halberd spears) were prepared, which
represented the 66 regions in Japan at thetime. The hoko were used during the rites andperformances for the epidemic gods, and weredestroyed afterwards. Roemer describes the roleof the hoko as follows: "The destruction of thespears symbolized the eradication of the diseasecausing deities. Afterward, Susano-o Mikoto wasparaded around in a mikoshi (portable shrineor sacred palanquin) to purify the area and thepeople of Japan" (187). The rites were practiced
every time a plague broke out, because people
believed that such rites could expel the epidemic
spirits. Eventually, the matsuri became anannual event, and has been held every July since
970.
However, in 1476, Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri

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was discontinued because of the Ōnin war andthe heads of the disparate thirty two groups

was not resumed for about twenty years, until

taking part in the matsuri. The Federation does

the year 1496. According to Masao Kawashima’

not take part in negotiations, but instead acts as study, “The renaissance of Kyoto’s Gioncommunication hub between members (Sasaki,

Matsuri after the Ōnin war was managed by the13, translation S. Richmond).

Muromachi Shogunate”(5, my translation). Since

Today, the modernized city has made it

then, the matsuri has become more like a civic

harder and more challenging to arrange every

festival than an authoritative event.“The Gion

detail of the matsuri. Electrical wires that canMatsuri, which was organized and maintained

be seen everywhere in the city have made it

by machishu (important local business men indifficult for floats to pass through some streets

the Muromachi period), was securely placed as

during the parade, and moreover,“Every year

the most important event symbolizing city self-

on the 17th, more than 200,000 people crowd

government (Hayashi quoted in Kawashima, 5,

the streets of downtown Kyoto to watch the

my translation).

main parade of the Gion Festival”(Roemer, 491).

After thousands of years’
gradual transformation,

Accordingly, ensuring the safety of spectators

today’s format of the matsuri basically resembles

and visitors is one of the most important issues

its form in the Edo period. During the matsuri,

for organizers. Also, there are other issues suchthe hoko spears, which were originally used atas the use of street area and traffic control,inchoate rites to destroy evil spirits, are replaced

which require the federation to negotiate withby the matsuri’s primary attraction - thirty-two

local authorities to get the government support

meticulously decorated floats known as yama

and help to ensure the success of activities

and hoko . At the time, the rich merchants wereduring the matsuri, especially the parade ofabsorbed in decorating the floats luxuriously,

decorated floats. Moreover, recruiting volunteers,and paraded them around the city on the 17th ofand solving issues such as garbage collection,

July in order to show off their wealth. Althoughlack of public toilets and any related complaints

today the decorated floats are no longer usedfrom the local residences are also parts of theto show off an individual’s wealth but rather

federation’s job.

for cultural value, the tradition of the decorated
floats and other matsuri customs continued.

Within the Gion Matsuri Floats Federation,
there are 35 float preservation associations in
downtown Kyoto, each preserving a different

3. Involved Communities andOrganizations

kinds of floats According to Waseda Univeristy
student Takeshi Sakaki, “There are thirtytwo decorated floats being used today, while

As the parade of decorated floats became

the other two are no longer in use”(12, mya core event of the Gion Matsuri, a headtranslation). Roemer quotes that the areaorganization was needed to manage theas a whole is referred to as the“yama anddistribution of labor, activities, float preservation

hoko neighborhoods” (187). Each associationand such matters, and so the Gion Matsuri

is responsible for the assembly, maintenanceFloats Federation was established in 1923.“Theand operation of their float. According toprimary tasks of the floats federation are, 1.

Henan University associate professor Zonghua

overseeing the drawing of lots to determine

Chen, “Such preservation associations are

the order of the parade. 2.equal distribution of

non-governmental, as they are the main

resources. 3. resolving issues by calling togetherorganizations in charge of such cultural

231
Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri - Community and Communication in an Ancient City Festival -protection. These groups rely completely on

Ethnology,“it is an honorable thing to become athe personal pride and respect (of the members

member of a float preservation association. Until

towards their leaders and the group itself) andnow, Imanaka is still proud that he was accepted

traditional customs to operate the associations.

by the association fifteen years ago, which wasParticipation is on a voluntary basis, and thea special case because he is not originally fromrequired funds are donated from local residents”

Kyoto”(24, my translation). However, being a(24, my translation). This system provides

member of a float preservation association is

the preservation associations with excellent

not only about honor but also shouldering theautonomy, as the government has no direct

responsibilities and commitments involved incontrol. The activities during the matsuri can be

maintaining the traditions of an ancient festival

completely decided by the associations.

such as this.

The main function of the associations is to

In the same way as Imanaka, most of thehost the matsuri, and to decorate the floats theymembers of the associations are part timers.

are in charge of, in order to take part in theOutside of the matsuri period, they have

Yamaboko Junkō on the 17th. Generous financial
support is important in order to make sure thefloats are ready for the parade. According to
China’s University of International Businessan d Ec o no m ic s ’s tu d e n t, R o n g H e , “ T h egovernmental subsidy for hoko is about fivemillion yen per year, and about 1.2 million to 1.3
million yen for yama per year. However, overfifteen million yen is needed for the decorated
floats during the matsuri”(34, my translation),so the rest of the money needs to be raisedby the associations themselves. They are also
responsible for advertising the matsuri andtheir own decorated floats (such as making theirown posters and websites), decorations, sellingsouvenirs, and making sure things run smoothly
during the matsuri period.
Only the current thirty-two float
preservation associations are allowed toparticipate in the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto, andthe selection of members of the associations is
also quite strict. The members are mainly local
residents from the float neighborhoods, rarely
accepting people from outside the neighborhood,and people whom are involved are quite proud of
their membership in the associations. According
to Chen’s interview of Takafumi Imanaka, a
PhD candidate from the Graduate University for
Advanced Studies at Japan National Museum of

their own work or businesses, but they are
all extraordinary active while the matsuri isheld. As mentioned above, the selection of themembers of the associations was extremely
strict, requiring that members were born andraised in the particular float neighborhood.
However, in some recent cases the situation isdifferent;“…..for example, today nearly all of thefloat-carts are pulled by young men from otherneighborhoods, cities, and (even) countries”(Roemer, 192).
After thousand years of transformation,
today, the Gion Matsuri and its correlations arestill changing, alone with the social development
and people’s concepts, although sometimes
the change is minuscule. Therefore, how topreserve folk cultural heritage appropriately
is an important issue. The Gion Matsuri, as ansignificant example of folk cultural heritage, isbeing well preserved by the local organizations,along with legal and administrative support fromthe Japanese government.
According to Japan’s Law for the Protectionof Cultural Properties, Article 35 and Article 87,
Article 35: Subsidy for Management orRepairs
Where an owner of an object of‘Important Cultural Property’ or its
managerial body is unable to bear

232

significant expenses required for thestrength to maintain public order, medical

management or repairs of such property,

workers in case of emergency medical

or where any other special circumstances

treatment, and other logistical concerns such as

exist, the Government may grant atemporary changes to public transportation. For

subsidy to the said owner or managerial

the inheritance and continuation of this matsuri,

body to cover part of such expenses.

the support from the government is just as

2. Where a subsidy under the preceding

important as the work of float preservation

paragraph is granted, the Commissioner

associations.

for Cultural Affairs may, as a condition
thereof, issue any necessary instructions
regarding the management or repairs.
3. Where the commissioner for Cultural

4. Intercultural Communication

Affairs deems it necessary, he may

As Japan’s former capital, and today’s well-direct and supervise the management

known historical and cultural city in Japan,

or repairs of an object of‘Important

Kyoto is considered the birthplace of Japanese

Cultural Property’for which a subsidy isculture and most likely has a great influence on

granted under paragraph 1.

the culture of other Japanese regions. In the case

Article 87: Preservation of‘Important
Intangible Folk Cultural Property’of Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri, its great influence onother regions’matsuri can be found nationwide.

Where the Commissioner for Cultural“Among Japanese matsuri which involve have

Affairs deems it necessary for the

extravagantly decorated floats, most of them arepreservation of‘Important Intangible

influenced by Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri”(Yamajyo,

Folk Cultural Property’, he may himself

96, my translation). Some local examples of thisproduce the record thereof and takeare the Kameoka Matsuri in Kameoka, Kyoto

any other appropriate measure for its

Prefecture and Otsu Matsuri in Otsu, Shiga

preservation, and the State may grantPrefecture.

a subsidy to cover part of the expenses

Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri is an archetypalr e quir e d f o r i ts p r e se rv a ti o n to a

Japanese matsuri, with nationwide influence.

local government or any other person

Nevertheless, foreign elements and interculturaldeemed appropriate to take care of its

influences can also be found during the matsuri.

preservation.

As for exotic elements on the decorated floats,

2. The provisions of Article 35

using the decorations on kankoboko (one ofparagraphs 2 and 3 shall apply mutatis
mutandis to the subsidization under theprovision of the preceding paragraph”(Law for the Protection of Cultural
Property ).

the 32 decorated floats used in the parade) as
an example, the maekake (apron), as shownin Figure 1, is named Mont Saint-Michel, anddepicts a scene of the world heritage church inNormandy, France. Two dōkake (slip-guards),
as shown below in Figure 2 and Figure 3, areAs mentioned above, the government

also examples of visual culture from foreign

appropriation for hoko and yama is about fivecountries. The example in Figure 2 is named

million yen, and about 1.2 million to 1.3 million

Umenitorafumu . It is a cotton carpet from theJoseon Kingdom in 17th century Korea. Figure
3 shows a Chinese rug called Tamanitoru

yen each per year. Besides financial support,
the local government provides sufficient police

233
Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri - Community and Communication in an Ancient City Festival -shishibun . Tokoro describes the international
influence on the matsuri’s decorations as follows:“The decorations used on the yama andhoko floats, such as the front and side overhangs
and decorative cords, are mostly of the local
Nishijin-ori type- representative examples ofJapanese dyeing and weaving craftsmanship.
But a closer look reveals articles from Joseon
Korea, Ming and Qing China, and even from
India, Persia and Belgium”(179, translation S.
Richmond). Exotic cultures have influence on
this traditional Japanese matsuri, and Japanese
have neatly integrated foreign cultures into
local traditional culture. This is one clear
example of diverse cultures interacting witheach other.“The parade of decorated floatsof the Gion Matsuri can certainly be called adisplay of‘moving galleries and museums’as
it combines the character of both exoticism andinternationalism”(Yamajyo, 92, my translation).
The parade of decorated floats is a chance forforeigners to praise the beauty of traditional
Japanese culture, and at the same time is also achance for Japanese people to learn something
about foreign culture within their local culture.

Figure 2: Umenitorafumu

Figure 3: Tamanitoru shishibun

T h e maiko ( a n a p p r e n t i c e geiko b u t
different from geisha ) is one of the symbols ofJapan in the international arena, and also is asymbol strongly associated with Kyoto. The
Figure 1: Mont Saint-Michel

maiko image can be found everywhere in thecity, such as on postcards, posters, cosmetics,
and other products. Today, there are very234

few real maiko , and they can rarely be seen

the float neighborhoods. These people usuallys performance is one
ordinarily. The maiko ’participate until old age prevents them fromimportant cultural aspect of Kyoto that attracts

taking part. After years of working together, thetourists from both inside and outside of Japan.

relationships between the neighborhoods people

It's interesting to note that the maiko’s elegant

who are deeply involved in the festival tend to

performance is quite different from the massive,

become more like relatives or families. Roemer’slavishly decorated floats of the Gion Matsuri, andinterview of people from a matsuri neighborhood

it gives expression to the tranquil and elegant

provides proof of this:side Kyoto’s traditional culture. These cultural“When I asked Mr. Nomura if he was

icons of Kyoto represent an interesting binary-“friends”(tomodachi ) with the otherthe masculine, powerful Gion Matsuri against

members he replied,“more like friends,

the feminine, refined maiko performance.

hmmm, I guess relatives (miuchi ), or like

Since the Meiji Restoration (from theclose friends (nakama ) and colleagues

1860s to 1880s), under the influence of Western(d ō r y ō ) [ b e t t e r d e s c r i b e s ] t h e s eindustrial civilization, Japan started modernizingneighborhoods. [He concluded,] We are

and changing certain aspects of its culture fromall like relatives.”When I asked three

traditional Japanese style to a more Western-men from another neighborhood if they

based one. One of these is the way Japaneseconsider themselves friends, the Headpeople dress. Today, most Japanese people can(Rijichō ) immediately replied, “[w]e’be seen on the streets wearing Western-style

re more than friends,”and he describedclothes, and it is rare to see people wearingt heir r elat ions hip as m or e f am ily-

traditional Japanese kimono. However, during

like because they spend so much time

the period of Gion Matsuri, people wearing
yukata (a casual summer kimono) can beseen all over downtown Kyoto. For the newgeneration of Japanese people, although theytend to be more used to wearing Westernstyle clothes than traditional Japanese clothes,
the effect of the traditional matsuri has driven
enthusiasm for the latter. The sartorial effect ofthe matsuri is not only on local Japanese people,
but also to foreigners in Kyoto. A large numberof foreigners can be seen walking on streetsin yukata , in order to more fully experience
traditional Japanese culture during the matsuri
period.

5. Interpersonal Communication
As mentioned in Section Three, theselection of the members of the associations
involved in the matsuri is quite strict, andthe members are mainly local residents fromtogether.”(191).
It is the festival that brings the communities
together, and promotes interpersonal
relationships within the neighborhood and thepreservation associations.
In the past, people believed that in termsof religious festivals and rites, females were
impure and could bring bad luck, and since
the parade were as a ceremony to expel theepidemic spirits, it become a tradition thatfemales were forbidden to participate theparade of decorated floats. However, nowadays
a number of Yamahokocho (preservation society)no longer forbid women from the parade.“Thesituation has been improved so that as a lot ofhoko are open to females, after the Kankoboko
first allowed a female to climb to the top of hoko
during a matsuri after the Second World War”
(Yamajyo, 107, my translation). The liberation offree female’s rights to participate in the parade
has had a great positive influence on female’s235
Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri - Community and Communication in an Ancient City Festival -role in the matsuri, and it can now be said thatand the old prohibitions of disallowing females

Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri is a matsuri that truly

to participate in the parade of decorated floats

belongs to (all) the community.

has since been relaxed, so that co-operation andcommunication between the sexes has instilled

6. Conclusion

new elements into Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri.
As I have detailed in this paper, within the

A chief reason that Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri

long history of Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri, individuals

has been carried on from generation toand cultures have interacted with and depended

generation is that it has been established as anon each other in a nexus of communication, withintegral part of the lives of local people for overthe matsuri at its core.

one thousand years. The enthusiasm for theGion Matsuri has never waned over this time.
Both the Gion Matsuri Floats Federation

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smoothly every year. The Gion Matsuri could
not be held as scheduled without their support.
The financial and administrative support fromthe government is also indispensable. The
effective cooperation between civil organizations
and government is one of the key reasons why
Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri has stood the test of time.
In modern society, the role of Kyoto’s GionMatsuri is different from that of the past, which
was as a ceremony to pay respect to the gods inorder to get rid of impending ill fortune. Today,
the matsuri plays the role of communicative
bridge between individuals and cultures.
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has formed its local culture through over a
thousand years of transfer and integrationof foreign cultures into its local culture. The
world is constantly changing, and through theancient matsuri, the combination of traditional
culture and modern civilization are wellreflected. At the same time, the matsuri hasa great and continuing influence on culturalaffect and propagation, both domestically andinternationally.
The influence of the Gion Matsuri is not
only cultural, After years of working together,
the relationships between people deeply involvedin the festival naturally tend to become close,236

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