Kyoto’s Aoi Festival Begins with Traditional Purification Ceremony

May 06, 2025 | News On Japan

KYOTO - In preparation for Kyoto’s Aoi Festival, one of the city’s three major festivals, the featured heroine known as the Saio-dai took part in a purification ritual called Gomiso-gi no Gi to cleanse herself before the main event.

The ritual, held alternately at Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine each year, involves the Saio-dai and around 50 women who participate in the festival procession purifying themselves in a traditional Shinto ceremony.

This year’s ceremony was conducted at Kamigamo Shrine. The 67th Saio-dai, Aya Yamauchi, dressed in the elaborate twelve-layered junihitoe robe, received ritual purification before slowly immersing both hands into the Mitarashi River that runs through the shrine grounds.

She then released a piece of paper called chōzu-gami, used to dry her hands, into the stream as a symbolic gesture to pray for the safety and success of the festival.

The main procession of the Aoi Festival, known as Roto no Gi, will take place on May 15th, featuring Yamauchi and about 500 participants in vibrant traditional attire parading through Kyoto’s verdant streets.

Source: YOMIURI

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