Photo= The "Kujitori-shiki" ceremony to decide the floats' order in the "Yamahoko Junko" procession this year (Before noon, July 2, Kyoto City municipal assembly room, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

On July 2, the "Kujitori-shiki," or a ticket-drawing ceremony to decide the floats' order in the Gion Festival's "Yamahoko Junko" procession, was held in the municipal assembly room of Kyoto City Hall in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto. For the first time in 13 years, the "Toro Yama" float drew the position of "Yamaichiban," or this year's first float which follows the "Naginata Hoko" float in the "Saki-Matsuri," or early festival held on July 17.

At 10:00 a.m., representatives of the 33 "Yamahoko" floats came together in the assembly hall, dressed in black formal kimono with family crests. Excluding the floats with a traditionally fixed order, representatives of 18 floats in the "Saki-Matsuri" and six floats in the "Ato-Matsuri," or latter festival, drew lots one by one.

A secretary of the "Toro Yama Hozonkai," or preservation group of the Gion Festival "Toro Yama" float, who is an elementary school teacher, drew the position of "Yamaichiban" in the "Saki-Matsuri." He smilingly said, "I visited Yasaka Shrine, to pray that I could draw this year's first 'Yama' float position. I used up the best luck of my life."

The "Kuronushi Yama" float was chosen for the position of "Yamaichiban" in the "Ato-Matsuri" held on July 24, for the first time in five years. That position follows the "Hashibenkei Yama" and "Kita-Kannon Yama" floats, which are "Kujitorazu," or the floats with a traditionally fixed order. A male representative of the "Kuronushi Yama Hozonkai," or preservation group of the Gion Festival "Kuronushi Yama" Float, who is in charge of Shinto rituals and runs a Kimono manufacturing company, said, "I was surprised because I never thought that I would draw the lot for the initial position. I want people in the world to watch our traditional festival." The "Kujitori-shiki" ceremony has taken place since 1500 in order to prevent conflicts over the float order.

<"Yamahoko Junko" procession in the Saki-Matsuri> = July 17

(1)Naginata-hoko (2)Toro-yama (3)Araretenjin-yama (4)Aburatenjin-yama (5)Kanko-hoko (6)Moso-yama (7)Ayagasa-hoko (8)Hakurakuten-yama (9)Niwatori-hoko (10)Taishi-yama (11)Hakuga-Yama (12)Ashikari-yama (13)Tuki-hoko (14)Yamabushi-yama (15)Shijokasa-hoko (16)Urade-yama (17)Kikusui-hoko (18)Hosho-yama (19)Kakkyo-yama (20)Tokusa-yama (21)Houka-hoko (22)Iwato-yama (23)Fune-hoko

<"Yamahoko Junko" procession in the Ato-Matsuri> = July 24

(1)Hashibenkei-yama (2)Kitakannon-yama (3)Kuronushi-yama (4)Koi-yama (5)Suzuka-yama (6)Minamikannon-yama (7)Ennogyoja-yama (8)Jomyo-yama (9)Hachiman-yama (10)Ofune-hoko