Photo= The float guide map for "Saki Matsuri," or early festival, of the Gion Festival. With a smartphone, users can get information about each float and their own location.

To coincide with the Gion Festival, the Kyoto Shimbun Co., Ltd. created and released a map site for smartphone devices, combining descriptions, photos, and videos of floats with area maps. With the Global Positioning System (GPS), users can also see their current location on the illustrated maps, which is useful when visiting the floats in July during the festival.

Photo= The float procession held at "Saki Matsuri" of the Gion Festival last year

After connecting to the site by scanning the QR code or other methods, an illustrated map is displayed, showing the area around Shijo-Karasuma with icons for the floats from each community on it. Clicking one of the icons shows a description of the history and origin, a photo, etc. of the float symbolized in that icon.

The map can also be switched to wider area view, and the user's location can also be indicated using GPS. The site has maps for both the "Saki Matsuri" and "Ato Matsuri," or early and latter festivals whose processions are held on July 17 and July 24, respectively. Each float is illustrated on its corresponding map. The maps are uploaded on the map sharing service site of Stroly, a venture business headquartered in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, with technology developed by the company.

Saki Matsuri:
http://s.kyoto-np.jp/qr/stroly/stroly-gionsaki.php?a=0

Ato Matsuri:
http://s.kyoto-np.jp/qr/stroly/stroly-gionato.php?a=0