On July 16, 2026, the Gion Festival’s *Saki-matsuri* (Early Festival) reached the *Yoiyama* stage. The sounds of the *Gion-bayashi* music—characterized by the rhythmic "kon-chiki-chin" melody—echoed through central Kyoto, where the towering *yamahoko* floats stood in a row, illuminated by the warm glow of *komagata* lanterns against the summer night sky. Crowds of people soaking up the festive atmosphere filled the streets late into the night.
People heading home from school or work, along with families, flocked to the *yamahoko* districts, packing the pedestrian-only zones. Drawn by the voices of children calling out, "How about a *chimaki* (ritual rice dumpling amulet)?", visitors collected festival talismans and enjoyed the "Byobu-matsuri" (Folding Screen Festival), where traditional merchant houses displayed their art and furnishings to the public.
Temperatures in Kyoto City hit 35.9°C around 1:00 p.m., tying the record for the hottest day of the year so far. Spectators sought relief from the heat by cooling their faces with handheld fans or traditional flat fans and purchasing shaved ice or drinks from the street stalls lining the roads.
According to the Kyoto Prefectural Police, the crowd size stood at approximately 380,000 as of 9:30 p.m., an increase of about 140,000 compared to the previous year. The *yamahoko* float procession for the *Saki-matsuri* is scheduled to take place on July 17.
