Ahead of the Yamahoko Float Procession (scheduled for July 17)—the highlight of the Gion Festival's *Saki-matsuri* (early festival) period—a "test pull" was held in central Kyoto on the afternoon of July 12, 2026, to maneuver the fully assembled floats. As the massive floats began to move to the rhythmic chants of "Enyaraya," they creaked and groaned on their wheels while advancing along Shijo-dori and other streets.
At the Tsuki-hoko float (Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto), the test pull began around 3:00 p.m. with musicians and crew members—including those stationed on the roof—aboard the float. As local elementary school students pulled the ropes along Shijo-dori, tourists packing the sidewalks held up their smartphones to capture the scene.
A fourth-grade girl (age 9) who helped pull the Tsuki-hoko float wiped away sweat as she remarked, "The rope was heavy, but it was fun."
