Seen in Kyoto during Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) held on 15th May. This festival, one of Kyoto’s three most famous along with the Gion Matsuri and the Jidai Matsuri, dates back over a thousand years and is renowned for its procession featuring people in Heian-period court costumes. There were long periods as the festivities were not taking place. In modern times it was revived in 1953. 

Besides participants are in elegant and colorful traditional attire, and horses and ox-drawn carts are also part of the parade, all adorned with hollyhock leaves, which are believed to protect against natural disasters and evil spirits. Hence the name of the festival. Originally the procession had religious meaning to protect Kyoto (that from the IXth century was the imperial capital) against natural disasters.

The procession starts at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, travels to the Shimogamo Shrine, and then to the Kamigamo Shrine (located in the north part of Kyoto), with rituals performed at each location to pray for peace and a good harvest. We went to Kamigamo Shrine to watch the procession end and make some shots. As you can see in pictures, the costumes and the apparel were great to watch and make photographs.