The combination of horses to run will be decided on May 1, 2024, ahead of the Kamokura Beuma, a prelude to the Aoi Festival, which will be held on May 5 at Kamigamo Shrine, a world heritage site in Kita Ward, Kyoto City. The ``Ashizoroeshiki'' was held. Despite occasional rain and chilly weather, the audience enjoyed watching the horses gallop around the fresh green fields.
Kamo horse racing is said to have started in 1093. The children of the head priests of Kamigamo Shrine serve as jockeys called ''norijiri,'' and teams of two compete to show the speed of their horses. In the Ashita ceremony, the running order is determined based on the position of the rider on the horse, how the whip is pointed, and the superiority of the horse.
On this day, as part of a class to learn about traditional culture, sixth graders from nearby elementary schools such as Hiragino Elementary School and Kamigamo Elementary School also visited and watched the Shinto ritual and the running horses from the bleachers. The children were in awe as they watched the powerful horses galloping past them.
