Travel

First floats parade in three years at Gion Festival in Kyoto

Jul 17 (NHK) - Ornately decorated floats paraded through Japan's ancient capital Kyoto on Sunday at the climax of the annual Gion Festival. The parade was held for the first time in three years after the coronavirus pandemic forced cancellations.

The grand procession began in the morning when a child in traditional costume on the lead float used a sword to cut a sacred rope stretched across one of the city's main streets.

The festival is said to have originated more than 1,000 years ago to pray for an end to an epidemic.

A total of 23 floats moved along the streets to ward off epidemics.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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