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Welcome to Japanesquest.

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Today, we are visiting [br]Aoi Matsuri Festival!

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Aoi Matsuri Festival is one of the three [br]great festivals of Kyoto,

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along with Gion Matsuri Festival,

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and Jidai Matsuri Festival.

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Every year on May 15th,

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more than 500 people dress as aristocrats [br]from the Heian Period,

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from the 8th to 12th centuries, [br]and march through Kyoto city.

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The origin of Aoi Matsuri Festival

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dates back to the reign of the Emperor [br]Kinmei in the 6th century,

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when people suffered due to terrible [br]storms and famines.

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Emperor Kinmei sent his messenger to the [br]Kamo Shrines to pay homage to the deities

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and performed solemn rites at the shrine.

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After this, the deities were pacified, [br]and the storms calmed down.

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Thus, the people were able to reap [br]bountiful harvests again.

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Ever since, the custom of the rites has [br]been handed down

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from generation to generation up to the [br]present day.

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The Aoi Matsuri Festival consists of two rites:

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Roto-no-Gi, the procession,

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and Shato-no-Gi, the rite privately held [br]inside the Kamo Shrines.

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The procession is the most popular, [br]due to its splendor,

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which includes 511 people,

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36 horses,

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4 oxen, and 2 carriages.

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The procession starts from the Kyoto [br]Imperial Palace,

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marches through Kyoto city

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to Shimogamo Shrine in the morning,

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then has its finale at Kamigamo Shrine in [br]the afternoon.

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Since the 6th century, thousands of people[br]have swarmed along its route

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and have enjoyed watching the elegant [br]Roto-no-Gi procession.

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The most important part of the Roto-no-Gi [br]procession is Saiodai.

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It is a representative of Saio,

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who was a young female member of the [br]imperial family

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and who served as high priestess of the [br]Kamo Shrines back in the Heian Period.

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Nowadays, an unmarried woman from Kyoto [br]is selected each year to serve as Saiodai

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and is taken through the procession on a [br]palanquin.

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A few tips from Japanesquest.

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If you want to see the procession in [br]comfort, reserved seats

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at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Shimogamo[br]Shrine can be purchased in advance.

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It becomes less and less crowded as the [br]procession goes

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from Kyoto Palace to Shigamo Shrine and [br]then Kamigamo Shrine.

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We at Japanesquest personally recommend [br]watching the procession at the

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Kamigamo Shrine if you need to choose one.

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You can also purchase a ticket sold on the[br]day of the festival at the Kamigamo Shrine

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if you want to see it up close.

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That's today's episode of Japanequest.

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For more details, please check out our website.

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The link is in the description below.

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And don't forget to subscribe!

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Thank you for watching!