1 00:00:00,206 --> 00:00:02,363 Welcome to Japanesquest. 2 00:00:02,363 --> 00:00:05,484 Today, we are visiting Aoi Matsuri Festival! 3 00:00:15,142 --> 00:00:19,403 Aoi Matsuri Festival is one of the three great festivals of Kyoto, 4 00:00:19,403 --> 00:00:22,422 along with Gion Matsuri Festival, 5 00:00:23,724 --> 00:00:26,336 and Jidai Matsuri Festival. 6 00:00:27,682 --> 00:00:29,504 Every year on May 15th, 7 00:00:29,504 --> 00:00:33,473 more than 500 people dress as aristocrats from the Heian Period, 8 00:00:33,473 --> 00:00:37,648 from the 8th to 12th centuries, and march through Kyoto city. 9 00:00:39,819 --> 00:00:42,138 The origin of Aoi Matsuri Festival 10 00:00:42,138 --> 00:00:46,136 dates back to the reign of the Emperor Kinmei in the 6th century, 11 00:00:46,136 --> 00:00:50,482 when people suffered due to terrible storms and famines. 12 00:00:50,482 --> 00:00:55,564 Emperor Kinmei sent his messenger to the Kamo Shrines to pay homage to the deities 13 00:00:55,564 --> 00:00:58,691 and performed solemn rites at the shrine. 14 00:00:58,691 --> 00:01:03,147 After this, the deities were pacified, and the storms calmed down. 15 00:01:03,147 --> 00:01:07,878 Thus, the people were able to reap bountiful harvests again. 16 00:01:07,878 --> 00:01:10,903 Ever since, the custom of the rites has been handed down 17 00:01:10,903 --> 00:01:14,635 from generation to generation up to the present day. 18 00:01:17,587 --> 00:01:21,025 The Aoi Matsuri Festival consists of two rites: 19 00:01:21,025 --> 00:01:23,538 Roto-no-Gi, the procession, 20 00:01:23,538 --> 00:01:28,720 and Shato-no-Gi, the rite privately held inside the Kamo Shrines. 21 00:01:29,510 --> 00:01:33,256 The procession is the most popular, due to its splendor, 22 00:01:33,256 --> 00:01:36,225 which includes 511 people, 23 00:01:37,196 --> 00:01:39,103 36 horses, 24 00:01:41,341 --> 00:01:44,276 4 oxen, and 2 carriages. 25 00:01:47,337 --> 00:01:50,744 The procession starts from the Kyoto Imperial Palace, 26 00:01:51,704 --> 00:01:54,494 marches through Kyoto city 27 00:02:00,318 --> 00:02:02,899 to Shimogamo Shrine in the morning, 28 00:02:04,319 --> 00:02:08,713 then has its finale at Kamigamo Shrine in the afternoon. 29 00:02:10,836 --> 00:02:15,433 Since the 6th century, thousands of people have swarmed along its route 30 00:02:15,433 --> 00:02:19,993 and have enjoyed watching the elegant Roto-no-Gi procession. 31 00:02:23,202 --> 00:02:28,462 The most important part of the Roto-no-Gi procession is Saiodai. 32 00:02:28,462 --> 00:02:30,668 It is a representative of Saio, 33 00:02:30,668 --> 00:02:33,412 who was a young female member of the imperial family 34 00:02:33,412 --> 00:02:39,696 and who served as high priestess of the Kamo Shrines back in the Heian Period. 35 00:02:39,696 --> 00:02:45,446 Nowadays, an unmarried woman from Kyoto is selected each year to serve as Saiodai 36 00:02:45,446 --> 00:02:49,584 and is taken through the procession on a palanquin. 37 00:02:52,088 --> 00:02:54,437 A few tips from Japanesquest. 38 00:02:54,437 --> 00:02:57,728 If you want to see the procession in comfort, reserved seats 39 00:02:57,728 --> 00:03:03,338 at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Shimogamo Shrine can be purchased in advance. 40 00:03:03,338 --> 00:03:06,303 It becomes less and less crowded as the procession goes 41 00:03:06,303 --> 00:03:11,749 from Kyoto Palace to Shigamo Shrine and then Kamigamo Shrine. 42 00:03:11,749 --> 00:03:15,268 We at Japanesquest personally recommend watching the procession at the 43 00:03:15,268 --> 00:03:18,214 Kamigamo Shrine if you need to choose one. 44 00:03:18,214 --> 00:03:22,758 You can also purchase a ticket sold on the day of the festival at the Kamigamo Shrine 45 00:03:22,758 --> 00:03:24,836 if you want to see it up close. 46 00:03:24,836 --> 00:03:27,375 That's today's episode of Japanequest. 47 00:03:27,375 --> 00:03:30,128 For more details, please check out our website. 48 00:03:30,128 --> 00:03:32,331 The link is in the description below. 49 00:03:32,331 --> 00:03:34,277 And don't forget to subscribe! 50 00:03:34,277 --> 00:03:35,826 Thank you for watching!