I want to choose by merit! Unique Yamaboko prizes

The Gion Festival began more than 1,000 years ago to pray for the eradication of plague and disease. Chimaki, amulets made of bundles of bamboo branches, are awarded at 34 floats and Yasaka Shrine, all of which are so elaborately designed that it is hard to choose just one. Each of the 34 floats has its own history and is associated with a deity enshrined in the float, so it is recommended that you choose one based on the contents of the deity. For example, "Hosho-yama" in the first festival is good for marriage, "Kakko-yama" is good for money, "Suzuka-zan" in the second festival is good for lightning protection and easy childbirth, and "Koi-yama" is good for success in life. Hang the purchased chimaki at the entrance or gate of your house to drive away the god of pestilence.

Period: Yasaka Shrine (July 1-31), Yamahoko of Mae-matsuri (Yoiyama July 14-16), Yamahoko of Goto-matsuri (Yoiyama July 21-23) *All sales will end as soon as they are gone.

In Yoiyama, the night before the Yamaboko procession, "red seal stamps" will be placed on all 34 Yamaboko floats. Why not collect stamps of the places you visited to commemorate your trip? The fee ranges from 100 yen to 500 yen. At Yasaka Shrine and some of the Yamahoko floats that host the Gion Festival, you can receive a vermilion stamp with a calligraphy of elegant handwriting. Bookstores and general merchandise stores also sell special Gion Festival red seal books.

Period of awarding: Same as the above-mentioned chimaki.

Chimakis are not the only gifts given by the Yamaboko floats. There is a great variety of good luck charms, fans, drawstrings, stationery, and sake. Particularly popular are the tenugui (hand towels), which range from traditional designs to pop art designs. Some of the floats produce new designs every year, making them a fun item to collect. Cute palm-sized dolls are also popular. The red and white dove with a plump face is the "Hachimanzan" dove bell, which is believed to prevent children from crying at night. The conch shell is a omikuji (fortune) from "En no Gyoja-yama" (Mt. Enno Gyoja).

Speaking of fortune telling, you should definitely visit "Mt. A giant praying mantis that moves by a mechanical device is mounted on the roof of the mountain, and a fortune slip modeled after the mantis appears in the Yoiyama event of the previous festival. When you turn the handle, the mantis turns around and delivers the fortune to you. Every year there is a long line, so the best time to visit is during the daytime when it is relatively empty.

From famous sweets from long-established restaurants to pike conger sushi. Gourmet foods limited to the Gion Festival

Shitatari" at Kikusuiboko

July in Kyoto is also a happy time for those with a sweet tooth, as many sweets related to festivals are on display. Especially at Yamaboko, you can enjoy famous sweets from long-established confectioneries. This is a confectionary presented to Kikusuiboko by "Kamehironaga" of Takoyakushi, Takakura-dori. The name of the confectionery is derived from "Kikusui no well," a well of famous water that once existed in the town, just like the Hoko float. When eaten chilled, it has a fresh taste and the refined richness and sweetness of the brown sugar is soothing. The clear amber color is cool and refreshing, just like the dewdrops from chrysanthemum flowers. It is also served at the tea ceremony held at Kikusuiboko.

Sales period: July 13-16
Sales location: Kikusuiboko
Sold all year round at Kamehironaga (359 Wakuyacho, Takoyakushi Ueharu, Takakura Dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto)

Kitcho Ayu" at Uradeyama

Uradeyama, also known as "sweetfish fishing mountain. The name is derived from a legend that Empress Jingu fished for sweetfish in ancient times and predicted her victory in battle. In honor of this legend, an auspicious snack called "kitcho ayu" is available only from July 13 to 16. This is a standard summer confectionary popularly known as "waka-ayu" (young ayu), which is a thin layer of sponge cake wrapped in gyuhi. The ayu fish's raised tail and dull eyes are also adorable. It is made by "Daigokuden Honpo," which is located near Yamahoko-cho.

Sales period: July 13 from the evening, 14 to 16 *Limited quantities available
Sales location: Uradeyama

Edible Chimaki" at Takayama

Chimaki" in the Gion Festival is a good luck charm to ward off bad luck, but there are also floats that sell "edible chimaki. One of them is Takayama, which will return to the Yamaboko procession in 2022 for the first time in 196 years. founded in 1708, Ise Genroku Tachibanaya, located on the same Sanjo Street as Takayama, uses limpid underground water that springs from the store to make the chimaki. The rice cake wrapped in bamboo leaves has a refreshing aroma. The mochi has a mochi (sticky rice cake) texture and a subtle sweetness that is delicious. Enjoy it chilled.

Sales period: July 21-23
Sales location: Takayama

Gion chigo mochi" at Sanjo Wakasaya

Next, we will introduce some of the best sweets available at confectionery shops in the city. Particularly famous is Sanjo Wakasaya's "Gion Chigo Mochi," which was born in the Taisho era and comes in a chimaki-shaped package. It is said to have been inspired by the rice cakes served to the "children," who are the messengers of the gods at festivals. In addition to the standard boxed version, a case shaped like a halberd is also popular. After eating, they can be displayed and enjoyed as they are.

Sales period：Year round
Sales locations: Sanjo Wakasaya, Daimaru Kyoto store, Takashimaya Kyoto
http://www.wakasaya.jp/

Yoiyama dango" by Kameya Ryouchou

Kameya Ryoucho, a long-established store on Shijo Dori in the neighborhood of Yamahoko-cho, also offers products related to the Gion Festival. These sweets are made to look like the "komagata chochin" decorated in front of the mountains and floats. The sweet bean paste with white miso paste is wrapped in soft gyuhi and gently branded with the Yasaka Shrine crest. The pinkish red bean paste that peeks through the cake is like the light of a lantern at dusk. Other confections with festival designs will also be available, so be sure to stop by the store.

Sales period: July 10 to around July 17 (until they are gone)
Sales location: Kameya Ryouchou (main store, JR Kyoto Isetan store), Kyoto Takashimaya
https://kameya-yoshinaga.com/

nikiniki's "Seasonal Fresh Sweets

Kyoto's famous confectionery "Yatsuhashi" also has a Gion Festival version. This is the July fresh confectionery produced by "nikiniki" (produced by Shogoin Yatsuhashi Sohonten) using fresh yatsuhashi. The photo shows an example from 2022. The cute bite-size sweets depict the Hoko float, festival lanterns, and the leading role of the Yamahoko float in great detail. The design changes every year, so please look forward to it. The dough is moist and glutinous with the well-known flavor of nikki. The inside is filled with Koshian (sweet bean paste) or Shiroan (white bean paste).

Sales period: July (reservations are recommended due to limited quantities)
Sales location: nikiniki, nikiniki à la gare (inside Kyoto Omotenashi Koji, 1F Hachijo Exit, Kyoto Station)
https://nikiniki-kyoto.com/

Kyoto Ame Crochet's "Gion Festival Limited Flavor

Crochet" by a long-established Kyoto candy maker is a brand with delicate and beautiful colors like glasswork. The limited edition flavors are "Gion Yamaboko" (black currant flavor), "Gion Mikoshi" (black currant orange flavor), and "Gion Hayashi" (banana flavor), which are round and ball-shaped. The mini-sized "Hina HIINA Series" includes a set of three, and you can also choose a Hoko case, which is only available in July.

Sales period: From around June to late July (ends when all are gone)
Sales location: Crochet directly-managed stores (Kyoto main store, Kyoto Tower Sand Store, JR Kyoto Isetan Store, Arashiyama AKOGAREYA Store)
https://select.crcht.com/

Izushige's "Hamo no Sugar Sushi

Hamo (Japanese conger eel) is a summer delicacy in Kyoto, just as the Gion Festival is also known as the "Hamo Festival. Hamo is said to become tasty after drinking rain during the rainy season, which is why hamo is in season at the same time as the festival. Sashimi and bowls of hamo are also delicious, but the festival is also associated with sushi, and Izushige, a Kyoto-style sushi restaurant established in 1868 and located under the stone steps of Yasaka Shrine, uses fresh hamo from Awaji-Nushima Island, which is full of fat. The fish is grilled to a fluffy, savory perfection in a secret sweet and spicy sauce that has been handed down since the restaurant's founding.

Sales Period: Summer to early autumn
Sales location: Izushige
https://gion-izuju.com/

Stationery, Japanese accessories, and other hot items are still available!

You can also find wonderful designs in everyday stationery and accessories. Picture postcards depicting the lively Yamaboko procession and Yoiyama are made by Hatoido, a Japanese stationery store on Teramachi Dori that has been in business for more than 350 years. They are recommended as a summer greeting card. Yamaboko stamps, available for a total of 34 floats, can be purchased at "Kyoto Inban," a long-established seal store in Shinmachi-dori Shijo (minimum purchase of one stamp). The masking tape and pouch are from the Otome no Gion Matsuri (Otome's Gion Festival) project, which is based on the theme "Even tradition has to be cute. A design company in the local Hoko-cho area handles the pop-up red seal book, which is also a topic of conversation.

Hatoido https://kyukyodo.co.jp/
Kyoto Inban http://www.inban.co.jp/
Otome no Gion Matsuri https://otomenokyoto.stores.jp/

Muromachi Dori and Shinmachi Dori, the center of Hokomachi, are kimono wholesale districts with a long history. They are known to have supported the development of Yamaboko for centuries. Because of this connection, wagon sales of kimonos, yukata, obi, etc. are held here and there during Yoiyama. Some stores will even dress you in a yukata on the spot if you buy one. You can also find kanzashi (ornamental hairpins) and other Japanese accessories that go perfectly with yukata, so please enjoy strolling around the area.