Motoise Kono Shrine Aoi Festival

Date: April 24th, 2019

Venue: 430 Ogaki, Miyazu, Kyoto

A festival held annually on April 24th at Motoise Kono Shrine.  The festival has a history of over 2,500 years and is said to be the oldest continuing festival in the Tango area located in Northern Kyoto.

The Aoi Festival has a deep connection to Kono Shrine and shares its name with the Aoi Festival held at Kamo Shrine in Kyoto City.  At the Aoi Festival held in Kyoto City, festival participants wear hollyhock (aka; athea). However, at Kono Shrine`s Aoi Festival, wisteria is used because it is often associated with the god Toyouke Oomikami.

The festival mainly consists of an o-mikoshi (portable shrine) procession, Tachifuri sword dancing, and Kagura Shinto dancing.  Sword dancing (Tachifuri) is especially significant as it is said to have originated in the Heian Period and is registered as an intangible cultural property of Kyoto Prefecture.

Official Brochure:

http://www.amanohashidate.jp/lang/en/fuchu-aoi-festival-official-brochure/