A must-have for summer in Matsusaka! We covered the Matsusaka Gion Festival! [Interview date: July 2017]

The Matsusaka Gion Festival is held in mid-July every year. The highlight is the kneading of mikoshi from three shrines: Yakumo Shrine, Matsusaka Shrine, and Mikuriya Shrine. Numerous stalls displaying regional specialties and the latest fashion items, locals and tourists flocking to the area, and the excitement created by them is strong enough to withstand the intense heat.
It is also recommended that you visit a little before the festival starts to enjoy the atmosphere of the town as it gradually becomes more exciting. Introducing the Matsusaka Gion Festival, which is sure to cheer you up if you go!

*The interview date is July 2017. In 2019, it will be held on July 13th (Saturday) and 14th (Sunday).

It's about a 5-minute walk from Matsusaka Station, where both JR and Kintetsu trains stop, to Hinocho Crossing, the main venue of the festival, making it easy to access! If you exit the station building and proceed to the left, you will find clean public toilets and a police box.
There is also a tourist information center in the building right next to it, which is very convenient if you want to ask about event schedules and detailed directions. On the day of the festival, we received a free fan and a flyer with a map.

Matsusaka Gion Festival flyer. The contents are very useful as it includes details of the events on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as the approximate times when the mikoshi will pass. It also includes information on toilets, places to throw away trash, and the location of the festival headquarters, so this is a must-have!

The red letters of "Gion" are bright. The streets of the venue will be filled with people related to the event wearing happi hats with the same print.

Even before the mikoshi parade begins, the shopping street is already buzzing with activity. From mid-afternoon, vehicle traffic is restricted in the central area and the area becomes a pedestrian paradise. It's a very free and fun atmosphere. The anticipation of excitement and the liveliness of the people bring out the deliciousness of the street food.

This is Yakumo Shrine, which is also one of the starting points for the Sansha Mikoshi. This is the closest shrine to the main venue, Hinocho Crossing. Before it gets busy, it's a beautiful place with a calm and clear air, but once people start gathering, the atmosphere changes completely. It's full of energy and you can feel a different charm than usual.

Participants wearing festival hats can be seen scattered throughout the narrow alleys. You can also see a cute line of children.

If you arrive a little early, you can see the banners being prepared like this.
It's exciting to see the atmosphere of the city gradually becoming more like a festival day.

The bustling stalls are a huge success from the beginning of the first day of the festival. Everyone from small children to the elderly was full of smiles. We all hope for sunny skies on festival days, but we also need to be careful of heatstroke under the scorching sun.
Enjoy while staying hydrated. There are stalls selling cold drinks, sweets and salty snacks. Meat-wrapped rice balls, kebabs, Suzu castella, chilled pineapple...what should I have?

Shaved ice on a hot day! Traditional flavors include strawberry, blue Hawaii, lemon, melon, and matcha. It will melt in no time under the midsummer sun, so why not take a break in the shade?

The gold leaf mikoshi is beautiful. Even before the highlight, the Sansha Mikoshi parade, begins, you can see a procession of small, beautiful mikoshi on the narrow streets near the venue.

It’s finally time to leave! The mikoshi of Yakumo Shrine, which is the closest to the main venue, is gorgeously decorated. The energetic shouts of the bearers echo through the air. When the mikoshi departs from the three shrines, you can enjoy a spectacular scene all around the venue.

The golden color stands out against the dark green of summer. The mikoshi at Yakumo Shrine, where Susano-onomikoto is enshrined, is made of wood and painted with lacquer. It is thought that it was made around 15th year of Genroku. The year 1702 according to the Western calendar is 315 years ago! How many people have carried this Yakumo Shrine mikoshi so far? From parents to children, children to grandchildren...

The sound of drums and cheers led me to the main venue, Hinocho Crossing, where I encountered a procession of young people dancing and people watching. The beating of Japanese drums is like a heartbeat. I am overwhelmed by the sound that revitalizes my life force.

Bright costumes and flags waving in the wind. The lively dance, powerful voices, and the sound of the drums gave me a sense of courage. It has heat and power that can withstand the midsummer sunlight.
Both the taiko drums and dance must have been practiced a lot in preparation for this day. The performance is both powerful and graceful and is a sight to behold.

Dances are performed to the sound of Japanese drums. The mood of the festival is increasing with the energetic shouts.

After 3:30 p.m., it's finally time for the first part of the highlight of the first day, "Neri-komi"!
A crowd of people has formed surrounding the Hinocho intersection. Amid the attention of the audience, the portable shrines departing from the three shrines are paraded into the intersection one after another. powerful!

The purple of the climbing flag, the red of the word "Gion" written on the hat, and the sunlight shining through the clouds.
The hearts of people who take photos of the photogenic sights are also excited. Flashes are fired everywhere.

Three shrines are lined up. The intersection is filled with people, and it's hard to remember the calm atmosphere before the festival started. People of all ages and genders gathered together, and the energy in the venue was even higher.
I felt that the Matsusaka Gion Festival is a festival created by everyone, both the mikoshi bearers and the customers.

You can see ``nerikomi'' twice on the first day of the festival, once during the day and once at night. This was done at night. It has a different charm than seeing it under the blue sky and sunlight. The glow of the gold leaf against the night sky is also wonderful.

Matsusaka Gion Festival is a summer must-see in Matsusaka! It will be held on July 13th and 14th in 2019♪
Please come by all means!

[Basic information] *Basic information is for 2019.
Date and time July 13th (Sat) and 14th (Sun), 2019
Venue: Yakumo Shrine, Matsusaka Shrine, Mikuriya Shrine, Hinocho/Honmachi, MatsusakaCity
Contact 0598-23-7771 (MatsusakaCity Tourist Information Center)

Access to Matsusaka Station

・If you go by train
From Osaka: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes by Kintetsu Limited Express from Osaka Namba Station
From Nagoya: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes by Kintetsu (express) from Nagoya Station
・Approximately 15 minutes from Matsusaka Interchange on the Ise Expressway by car
Coin parking available around Matsusaka Station
(It will be very crowded on festival days)
Hinocho intersection is about a 5-minute walk southwest from Matsusaka Station.
Click here for the official URL!