The Aoi Matsuri (葵祭), or "Hollyhock Festival," is one of the three main annual festivals held in Kyoto, Japan, the other two being the Festival of the Ages (Jidai Matsuri) and the Gion Festival.
It is a festival of the two Kamo shrines in the north of the city, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. The festival may also be referred to as the Kamo Festival.
The festival has been called Aoi festival for the hollyhock leaves used as decoration throughout the celebration. These leaves were once believed to protect against natural disasters.[4]
There are two parts to Aoi Matsuri: the procession and the shrine rites.[4]
The procession is led by the Imperial Messenger. Following the imperial
messenger are: two oxcarts, four cows, thirty-six horses, and six
hundred people.[4] All of which are dressed in traditional Heian period apparel decorated with aoi leaves.[4]
There are two main figures in the Aoi Matsuri: the Saiō-Dai and the Imperial Messenger.[2]
The Saiō-Dai is a woman who is chosen from the sisters and daughters of
the Emperor to dedicate herself to the Shimogamo shrine. The role of
Saiō-Dai was to maintain ritual purity and to represent the Emperor at
the festival. Now, the role of the Saiō-Dai is played by an unmarried
woman in Kyoto.[2]
The procession starts at 10:30 on May 15 and leaves the Kyoto Imperial Palace and slowly works its way towards the Shimogamo shrine and finally the Kamigamo shrine.[5]
When they finally arrive at both shrines, the Saiō-Dai and Imperial
Messenger perform their rituals. The Saiō-Dai simply pays her respects
to the deities and the Imperial Messenger intones the imperial rescript
praising the deities and requesting their continued favor.[5]
Also featured at the Kamo no matsuri are horse races (kurabe-uma),[8] and demonstrations of mounted archery (yabusame).[9]
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