The Gion Festival's Nagatoboko (Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City) began "assembling the float" on July 9, 2025. To allow time for safety measures, the start was one day earlier than usual.
The assembly of the float is the process of assembling the float's components, which are usually disassembled and stored, in time for the festival. Work on the float, including other floats, usually began on July 10. This year, the Nagatoboko float decided to start work one day earlier than usual to ensure time to set up scaffolding and safety nets to ensure the safety of the craftsmen and passersby.
Around 7 a.m. on July 10, the craftsmen carried the materials out of the storehouse and began work in front of the meeting hall. They secured the tower components along the scaffolding supported by iron pipes using a traditional technique called "nawagarami," which does not use nails. The temperature in Kyoto City exceeded 32°C at 10 a.m., and the craftsmen in air-conditioned suits worked carefully while wiping off their sweat.
On July 10th, work begins on the floats, including the Chicken Float and the Kikusui Float. By July 14th, all the floats participating in the preliminary festival will be assembled.
