Arashiyama Day + Gion Matsuri

“Nothing can quite capture the magic of matsuri season in July!”

In a surprising turn of events, Kyoto just so happens to be home to the largest and one of the longest running festivals in Japan called the Gion Matsuri. Originating in the neighborhood of Gion, the month-long festival actually takes place across the Kamogawa river along what of the most famous streets, the Omiya. And as luck would have it, the Keizai Center, where our CIEE students go for their daily Japanese classes,also happens to give us front row seats to all the Gion Matsuri parade action, complete with large floats called Hoko. Impressive displays of collective strength and coordination are required to move the massive multi-ton wheeled floats as they make their way to Yasaka shrine. Side streets are littered with many stalls serving local celebration foods and festival games for kids, with people pouring into the streets to eat, relax, and socialize! 

In celebration of the month-long festival, our students got to either spend their free day with their homestay families or spend the day in Arashiyama, made famous by the picturesque and lusciously green bamboo groves one could ever see. Our students first got to get into the festive mood by dressing up in yukata, the lighter, airier version of kimono. Students had the chance to be dressed to the kyuu-s (nines, get it?) in traditional yukata decorated with seasonal motifs at the Toei Kyoto Studio Park. If Toei sounds familiar, it is one of the top movie studios of Japan, producers of such well-known animated films and shows like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, One Piece and countless other classics that span multiple generations and genres! 

The afternoon meant time to explore the Arashiyama area, which was packed with travelers from near and far, as this is the first year that Gion Matsuri has been held since the pandemic forced the festival to be canceled for years previous. Everyone was in an effusive, festive mood, as they explored shops, tasted local specialties like kakigori or matcha soft serve ice cream! The area was packed with travelers from near and far, as this is the first year that Gion Matsuri has been held since the pandemic forced the festival to be canceled for years previous. Everyone was in an effusive, festive mood, as they explored shops, tasted local specialties like kakigori or matcha soft serve ice cream! 

So next time you are in Japan in July, be sure to make the Gion Matsuri and Arashiyama one of your top destinations!