日本三大祭の一　衹園祭　
衹園祭は八坂神社の祭礼で、大阪の天神祭・東京の神田祭とともに、日本三大祭のひとつに挙げられており、その歴史の長いこと、またその豪華さ、祭事が１ヶ月にわたる大規模なものであることで広く知られています。
およそ１１００年前、神泉苑に日本全国の国の数の鉾６６本を立て、衹園の神を祀り災厄の除去を祈る衹園御霊会を行ったのが始まりと伝えられています。
One of Japan’s three major festivals – the Gion Festival
The Gion festival is part of the ritual festivities of the Yasaka Shrine, and is known as one of the three major festivals of Japan, along with the Tenjin festival of Osaka and Kanda festival of Tokyo. It is known for its long history, its luxuriousness, as well as for its grand scale with festivities lasting throughout the month.
Its roots are said to be found about 1100 years ago, when a large meeting was held to pray to the gods of Gion for the removal of calamities. Sixty-six spears were set up at Shinsen’en to represent the countries that existed on the Japanese islands at the time.

祭のハイライトは１７日と２４日に行われる３３基の山鉾巡行。「京都衹園祭の山鉾行事」はユネスコ無形文化遺産にされています。
The highlight of the festival is a grand procession of 33 decorated yamahoko floats carried out on the 17th and 24th. The “Yamahoko, the float ceremony of the Kyoto Gion festival” is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

今日はそんな祇園祭の巡行の毎回先頭をいく鉾、長刀鉾に遭遇致しました♫
Today I encountered Naginataboko, the float that always leads the way in this Gion festival parade 🙂