On July 7, 2023, six young children who lead the Ayakasa-hoko parade (Ayanokoji-dori Muromachi Nishiiriru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto) at the Sakimatsuri parade (July 17) of the Gion Festival at Yasaka Shrine in Higashiyama Ward. I went to the "Shasan no Gi" to worship. They lined up in front of the altar with firm expressions and prayed for the safety of this year's festival.

Young children of the Ayagasa float praying for a safe festival and clapping their hands (July 7, 3:11 pm, Yasaka Shrine, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City)

At the "Betrothal Ceremony" at Yasaka Shrine's Tokiwa Shinden, young children dressed in eboshi and kariginu were welcomed as children of the town. Next, attend a Shinto ritual at the main shrine together with the members of the Preservation Society. The priest Akiyoshi Nomura (age 64) issued a letter of recognition as a child in turn, and encouraged the children to march vigorously on a hot day.

Chigo receiving a letter of decree and showing a smile

Finally, we performed the Othousand ceremony, walking three times clockwise around the main shrine. Many worshipers watched the children working hard in the sweaty and humid heat.

Hajime Tomie, 9, a fourth-year student at Rakunan High School, said that his father, Akira, 42, had been a child in 1989. bottom.

"The other children are the following."

Dan Iwamoto (5 years old) ▽ Teruto Kano (6 years old) ▽ Kento Saito (8 years old) ▽ Deso Tsuji (7 years old) ▽ Takahiro Kawasaki (8 years old)