Imamiya Matsuri

Overview

The Imamiya Festival is an annual festival held in May at Imamiya Shrine in the Murasakino area of Kita Ward, Kyoto City. Originating in a belief in the deities of pestilence that predates the founding of the Heian capital, it has been carried on in the hope of protecting the capital from epidemics. Over several days in May, a sequence of rites unfolds, and three portable shrines (mikoshi) together with numerous ceremonial halberds (kenboko) parade through the great avenues of the city. Along with the Yasurai Festival held at the same Imamiya Shrine in April, it is known as a festival deeply rooted in the local community.

History and Origins

The Imamiya Festival springs from a belief in pacifying the deities of pestilence that was practiced in the area even before the capital was moved to Heian-kyo. During the Heian period, epidemics struck the capital repeatedly, and in 994 a goryo-e rite to appease the deities of pestilence was held at Murasakino under the direction of the court. In 1001, a shrine building and portable shrines were prepared, and the festival is said to have taken shape as a rite of Imamiya Shrine.

The festival was handed down through the medieval period, though it was forced into interruption during the eras of warfare such as the Onin War. In the early modern period, it is said to have regained its former splendor thanks to the generous support of Keishoin, the mother of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth Tokugawa shogun. Keishoin is said to have come from the Nishijin district, and her devotion to the shrine of her homeland is said to have driven the festival's revival. Through this history, the Imamiya Festival became established as a festival of the capital that continues without interruption to the present day.

Highlights

A distinctive feature of the Imamiya Festival is its staged progression over several days in May. It typically begins with the "mikoshi dashi" (bringing out of the portable shrines) on May 1, followed by the "shinko-sai (oide-matsuri)" on May 5, in which the mikoshi journey out into the parishioners' district. On a Sunday in mid-May comes the "kanko-sai (okaeri-matsuri)," when they return to the shrine, and the series of rites concludes with the "mikoshi osame" on May 19.

In the procession, three portable shrines appear, the saki-mikoshi, the naka-mikoshi, and the omiya-mikoshi, each lifted by many bearers working together. The procession is led by ceremonial halberds, with many kenboko such as the fan halberd, chrysanthemum halberd, pine halberd, and peony halberd in the line, each preserved by a different ward of the Nishijin district. The ringing bells of the halberds, together with the drum carts and the yaotome maiden attendants, form a procession that combines the elegance and the liveliness characteristic of a festival of the capital. A yudate rite is also performed at the otabisho (resting site), conveying the solemnity of the rituals.

Event Information and Access

The Imamiya Festival is held in May, with rites such as the mikoshi dashi (May 1), the shinko-sai (May 5), the kanko-sai (a Sunday in mid-May), and the mikoshi osame (May 19) carried out one after another. The procession proceeds mainly along streets around Imamiya Shrine, including Omiya-dori and Senbon-dori.

Imamiya Shrine, the venue, is located in Murasakino Imamiya-cho, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, with good access from the city center. Because the exact dates and routes are adjusted from year to year, visitors are advised to confirm the details through official announcements from Imamiya Shrine.

Things to See Nearby

The approach to Imamiya Shrine is famous for its specialty "aburi-mochi," skewered rice cakes grilled until fragrant and coated with a white miso sauce, a simple flavor cherished by worshippers. The same Imamiya Shrine also holds the "Yasurai Festival" on the second Sunday of April. A rite to pacify the deities of pestilence around the time the cherry blossoms fall, it is smaller in scale than the Imamiya Festival but is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of the nation and counted among the three great eccentric festivals of Kyoto. Together with the Imamiya Festival, it offers a chance to learn about two festivals rooted in the belief in the deities of pestilence.

Related Information

The ceremonial halberds that adorn the Imamiya Festival are held by the various wards of the Nishijin district, with the name and design of each halberd handed down from ward to ward. The constituent elements, the portable shrines, ceremonial halberds, yaotome maidens, and drum carts, preserve the festival culture of the capital that has endured since the Heian period. For the latest dates and procession information, it is best to confirm through official announcements from Imamiya Shrine.

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