The "Flower Parasol Procession," which decorated the Gion Festival's after-matsuri with children's portable shrines and colorful flower umbrellas, was held in the center of Kyoto City on July 24, 2024. About 1,000 people, including geisha and maiko from the geisha district, children, and people from kimono groups, participated, adding a touch of gaiety to the festival.
At 9:30 a.m. on July 24, the procession set out under the strong sunlight, with local children at the front. The children pulling the cart carrying the portable shrine yelled out "Whit, whit" with great energy. Flower-hasa girls, lion dancers, and geisha and maiko from Gion Higashi and Pontocho, two of Kyoto's five geisha districts, followed behind, livening up the spectators along the road.
The Flower Parasol Procession began in 1966 when the Yamahoko Processions, which had been separate for the before-matsuri and after-matsuri, were combined. The Ato Matsuri procession was revived in 2014 and continues to this day. This year, a lottery was held and the procession took place in a different order than usual.
