Hoshino Resorts developed its sub-brand "OMO" as city tourism hotels all over Japan, focusing on their local neighborhood. This summer, OMO5 Kyoto Gion and OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo by Hoshino Resorts will host special events during the Gion festival so that guests can make the best of their time in Kyoto. Gion Festival, one of Japan's three main festivals, happens every year from July 1st to 31st and is centered around the Yasaka Shrine. The festival has a history of more than 1,000 years, and it is said to be held in an effort to ward off epidemics. It has been held as a Shinto ritual since its beginnings and is now mostly beloved as a real "moving museum" with its grand procession of floats, known as the "Yamahoko Parade," the festival's highlight. Many different ways of enjoying the festival have been invented since its beginning.
Located just a 3-minute walk from the Yasaka Shrine, OMO5 Kyoto Gion will organize a time-limited activity, the “ABCs of Gion Festival,” from June 14th until July 31st. Guests will be able to learn about Gion festival customs followed during the month of July and live the festival just like locals. The OMO Base will transform during the event with a Gion Festival-inspired interior. In addition, an OMO Ranger (*1) will host a special lecture, the “ABCs of Gion Festival,” where guests can learn about local customs, habits, events, appealing points surrounding the festival, and fun facts. The hotel will also offer traditional Japanese sweets while listening to the lecture. Finally, guests can customize their own uchiwa, a traditional Japanese paper fan, with their name on it and enjoy the festival just like locals.
The purpose of the Gion Festival has not changed over the years for locals in the neighborhood, as it remains a ritual to fight off plagues and diseases. OMO5 Kyoto Gion, conveniently located in Monzen-machi, an area with Yasaka Shrine as its center, has organized this event as a way for guests to delve deeper into the local life and enjoyments of the Gion Festival.
(*1) OMO Rangers are OMO’s special local guides familiar with the neighborhood who gather unique information to share it with guests.
Located on the way from the Gion area towards the Kamo-gawa River, OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo will also host a special event during the Gion Festival, the Kyomachi Evening Festival, from June 14th to July 31st. To enjoy the 'Gion Festival,' the hotel will propose a unique way to spend time in the Sanjo area, which is close to Yamahoko District (*2). The OMO Base will also be decorated to the colors of the Gion Festival, and guests will be able to participate in a lecture from an OMO Ranger on how to enjoy the Gion Festival like a local. Festival time-limited sweets will be served, and a "Yozake Set" with local sake and finger food will be available for sale.
The "Yamahoko parade" (*3) and the "Yoiyama" event (*4) will be held on July 17th and 24th. The Yamahoko floats, also called a 'moving museum,' parade through the town to attract evil, and are dismantled immediately upon returning to Yamahoko town to get rid of the evil spirits that boarded the floats. OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo faces Kawaramachi Street and has an ideal location since guests can watch the impressive Yamahoko Parade from the hotel entrance. Our activities were designed so everyone could enjoy the Gion Festival, integrate with the local community, and feel the enthusiasm of the people making the Yamahoko floats. In the old calendar, June 14th is the day of "Gion Goryo-e" (*5), a ritual ceremony to repose the spirits of the dead. This is said to be the day when the first floats were built, and portable shrines were sent so that June 14th will be the start date of these two events.
(*2) A town playing a central part during the Gion Festival. See "About Gion Festival" down below.
(*3) A float that is supposed to attract spirits built in order to quell the god of pestilence who brings plagues.
(*4) It is a generic term for three days, two days, and a day before the Yamahoko Parade, with small festivities preceding the main festival.
(*5) During the Heian period, a plague spread, and many people lost their lives. Disasters continued nationwide, including the eruption of Mt. Fuji and a major earthquake. People built 66 floats and sent "mikoshi" portable shrines from Gion Shrine (present-day Yasaka-jinja Shrine) to Shinsenen Garden to ward off the plague. From Shinsenen Official Website: http://www.shinsenen.org/goryoue.html.
1. A temporary Gion Festival-inspired interior for the OMO Base
OMO5 Kyoto Gion
Original lanterns and Kyomaru uchiwa, Kyoto traditional paper fans, will be decorating the OMO Base, with at its center the three mikoshi portable shrines, the main characters of the traditional procession (*6) of the Gion Festival. We asked Kojima Shoten, a long-established company that has been making lanterns using the same method for more than 100 years, and Komaruya Sumii, a company making Kyomaru uchiwa that geishas and maikos give out when they greet their neighbors, to create the lanterns and paper fans for us. In addition, there will be a display showing the various aspects of local Gion Festival life, such as "Chimaki" charms (*7) and "Tenugui" hand towels, items meant to be lucky charms to ward off evil. The entire OMO Base will transform into a space where you can learn about the Gion Festival in depth.
(*6) To get rid of evil, the portable shrine carrying the god's spirit is transported to the "otabisho," a temporary resting place, after having toured various places. The portable shrine remains in the "otabisho" after the main procession of the Shinkosai Festival and during the Kankosai Festival.
(*7) A lucky charm to be displayed at the entrance to ward off evil. It is sold yearly during the Gion Festival at shops in the Yamahoko-cho district and Yasaka Shrine.
OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo
The OMO Base at OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo will display Gion Festival colors during the festival. The space will be lined with Gion Festival lanterns and 34 wooden miniature floats from Kogatanaya, a shop that has preserved the tradition of Kyoto traditional dolls since its foundation in 1656. Each of the floats is displayed with a detailed explanation of its origin and characteristics. The noren curtain in the center is designed to show the route of the floats and the location of each association protecting the floats.
2. Learn how to experience Gion Festival like a local: “ABCs of Gion Festival” Lecture and "Kyomachi Stories of Gion Festival"
OMO5 Kyoto Gion: “ABCs of Gion Festival” Lecture
The OMO Ranger will explain in an easy-to-understand way how local people enjoy the Gion Festival, with a sum up of the events held at the Yasaka Shrine and various places in Kyoto from July 1st to 31st, as well as the "Osendo-mairi"(literally “one thousand times' worship”), a pilgrimage made by local geishas, maikos and ujiko shrine parishioners (*8). Guests can go out in the neighborhood knowing all about local customs and tips to enjoy the festival better. Some Japanese sweets are sold by various shops in Kyoto exclusively during Gion Festival period. The hotel will serve one of these sweets to participants, an OMO exclusive festival time-limited treat from the neighborhood shop "Gion Narumiya," to be enjoyed with cold matcha. This limited edition sweet is a Japanese confectionery in the shape of a lantern and bearing the shrine crest seal of Yasaka Shrine's (*9), the heart of the Gion Festival. "Kamon" or shrine crest is commonly used as a decoration for lanterns in Shinto rituals.
(*8) A resident of an area who believes in the local god.
(*9) The Yasaka Shrine crest, the “Karahana-mokkomon,” is composed of two different symbols. The Japanese quince (“mokko-mon”) represents bravery and its representative god, “Susano.” The three-commas swirl symbol (“mitsudomoe”) is supposed to represent the host of gods' spirits.
Time: From 5 pm (Estimated duration: 30 min)
Price: 500 JPY (taxes included)
Included in the price: “ABCs of Gion Festival” lecture, Gion Festival time-limited Japanese confectionary, cold matcha
Capacity: 15 people
Reservations: Through the Official Website up to 10 pm the day before. Prior reservation is required in order to participate.
OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo: Kyomachi Stories of Gion Festival
An OMO ranger familiar with the Gion Festival will introduce the festival's history, the construction of each Yamahoko floats, the benefits from the floats, and other ways of enjoying the "Yoiyama" festival like locals. At the end of the lecture, guests can find the perfect Yamahoko floats to answer their needs with an original "yamahoko" fortune-telling feature. Gion Festival time-limited crackers with OMO logo patterns and cold matcha will be served along the lecture.
Time: 30-minute sessions at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm
Price: 200 JPY (taxes included)
Included: Participation in the lecture, one cup of cold matcha, 2 original OMO egg crackers
Capacity : 10 people
Reservation: Through the Official Website up to 10PM the day before. Participation is possible on the same day only if available before the session starts.
3. OMO5 Kyoto Gion: Walk around the Gion Festival with a traditional "Kyo-uchiwa" paper fan with your name on it
Guests can order personalized Kyomaru uchiwa paper fans with their name on it, made by Komaruya Sumii, a shop that has long perpetuated the tradition of Japanese paper fans. Geisha traditionally gifts those to teahouses and traditional Japanese restaurants. On one side will be the guest's name, and on the other will be the Yasaka Shrine crest. Cooling off the heat of summer with their personalized fan and strolling around the streets of Gion while paying respect to the gods, guests can immerse themselves even deeper in the atmosphere of the Gion Festival.
Price: One for 4,400 JPY (taxes included)
Reservation: Through the Official Website up to two weeks before the stay. Prior reservation is required in order to participate.
4. OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo "Yozake Set": a sake set to enjoy the festive atmosphere
The best way to enjoy the "Yoiyama" Festival is to go around the food stalls and slowly admire the floats lit by the lanterns. A "Yoizake Set" composed of sake and finger food will be served at the OMO Base so that one can feel the festival's atmosphere even more. The sake was selected from Tsunoki Sake Brewery, a liquor store operating for more than 200 years at the Nishiki Market that has long watched over the Gion Festival. The owner handwrote the OMO exclusive label on the special sake "Tsukino Katsura Iwai Junmai Ginjo," a liquor brewed by Masuda Tokubee Shoten at Tsunoki Sake Brewery. The company also prepared an original OMO finger food called "Chigomochi (*10)," a Japanese confectionery people eat in Kyoto during the festival. The moderate sweetness and saltiness of Chigomochi, composed of seared white miso on soft mochi, goes well with sake. This will be a perfect aperitif for guests to enjoy while checking out the OMO Base exhibition before going out.
Time: 3 pm - 9 pm
Price: 1500 JPY (taxes included)
Included: "Yoizake Set" for one person, including 180mL sake liquor and 2 "Chigo" rice cake
Notes: Available for non-guests too
(*10) In the early days of the Gion Festival, Chigo, a messenger of the gods, served rice cakes with miso sauce at a teahouse in the precincts of Yasaka Shrine. "Chigomochi" is reputed to purify evil and bring good fortune, and is now dedicated to Yasaka Shrine during the Gion Festival.
5. OMO5 Kyoto Gion: OMO Ranger Gion early-morning Tour
Guests can participate in an early-morning tour of the temples and shrines of Gion with an OMO Ranger, the Gion Uruwashi Asamairi (*11). While walking through its spectacular streets, guests can experience the beautiful and refined “uruwashi” culture of Gion, through its geisha district, shrines and temples, all while avoiding the usual tourist crowd. During the Gion Festival, Gion Festival decorations and events are held on Hanamikoji Street and Yasaka Shrine. The OMO ranger will present the Gion Festival events of the day before finishing the tour with a visit to the Yasaka Shrine. Guests can get a glimpse of the life of the people living in the city during the Gion Festival and get an authentic experience of Gion's local life.
Time: 6:30 am
Duration: around one hour
Price: Free
Reservation: Through the Official Website up to 10PM the day before.
(*11) "Uruwashi" in Japanese embodies the ideas of beauty, impressing others, neat and authentic. "Asamairi" means a morning visit to the temple.
Schedule Example
OMO5 Kyoto Gion
＜Day One＞
11:00 AM Arrival in Kyoto, Rent a Yukata
4:00 PM Check-In
4:30 PM Get to know more about Gion Festival at OMO Base
5:00 PM Participate to the “ABCs of Gion Festival.”(Note: Available in Japanese only)
6:00 PM In-room dinner - Conger pike hotpot dinner from Kyoto hot pot specialty shop "Toriku"
8:00 PM Night stroll through the streets of Gion with a personalized "Kyo-uchiwa" paper fan
＜Day Two＞
6:30 AM Early-morning Gion Tour "Gion Uruwashi Asamairi"
8:30 AM Breakfast with In-Room Bakery – Make you own freshly baked bread
10:00 AM Check-Out, Leave your luggage at the Front Desk and enjoy a stroll in the neighborhood
*Prior reservation / contact is needed for Early-morning Gion Tour, In-Room Bakery and Rent a Yukata shop recommendation.
OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo
＜Day One＞
11:00 AM Arrival in Kyoto, leave luggage at the reception
3:00 PM Check-In
3:30 PM Visit the exhibition at OMO Base
4:30 PM Participate to the "Kyomachi walking tour along the river", walk along Takase River
5:30 PM Participate to the "Kyomachi Stories of Gion Festival" Lecture
6:00 PM Dinner at a restaurant recommended by OMO Ranger
7:30 PM Visit the "Yamahoko" float of your choice
8:30 PM Enjoy a "Yozake Set" at OMO Base
＜Day Two＞
8:00 AM Breakfast at OMO Cafe
10:30 AM Check-Out
11:00 AM Participate to the "Walk to old stores of Kyomachi"
12:00 PM Take a stroll through Yamahoko District streets
OMO5 Kyoto Gion “ABCs of Gion Festival” / OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo "Kyomachi Evening Festival" - Overview
Period: From June 14th,2024 to July 31st,2024
Participants: Hotel guests only (*"Yozake Set" is available for non-guests)
About Gion Festival
The Gion Festival, centered on the Yasaka Shrine, is held every year from July 1st until July 31st with various ceremonies and events happening through the month. The festival has been historically held in order to fight epidemics and plagues. The most famous events include the July 17th “Shinkosai”, the July 24th “Kankosai”, smaller related festivals and the Float Procession also known as the “moving museum.” During this event, people gather evil spirits on the "hoko" (a sort of Japanese halbert) while parading, and when they return to a place named "Hoko Town", they immediately dismantle the halbert to dispel the evil spirits they collect. The most important Shinto ritual is the "Mikoshi Togyo" (portable shrine parade) performed every day for a month. The "mikoshi" portable shrine is carried from Yasaka Shrine to Shinsenen Garden (near Nijo-jo Castle), where it is enshrined from the 17th to the 24th, before returning to Yasaka Shrine. It was designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979, and was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.
Sources
Masateru SAWAKI (2019) 'Gion Festival in Gion: A month in the Miyamoto-gumi, the leader of the gods'
Kyoto City Tourist Association Kyoto Tourist Official Site 'Gion Matsuri' Deepen your Knowledge ''
Toshinao YONEYAMA (1986) 'Document Gion Festival City, Festival and People'
Yasaka Shrine Official Website "About Yasaka Shrine"
■OMO5 Kyoto Gion by Hoshino Resorts
Address：288 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Shijo-dori Yamatooji Higashiiru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0073
Number of Rooms：36
Check-in：3 PM／Check-out: 11 AM
Price：1 night 1 room from 24,000 JPY（consumer taxes included, accommodation taxes not included, meals not included）
Access: Approximately 6 minutes’ walk from Gion Shijo Station (Keihan Electric Railway) or 1 minute walk from Gion Bus Stop (Kyoto City Bus)
■OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo by Hoshino Resorts
Address：434-1 Ebisu-cho, Kawaramachi-dori Sanjoagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8005
Number of Rooms：122
Check-in：3 PM／Check-out: 11 AM
Price：1 night 1 room from 15,000 JPY（consumer taxes included, accommodation taxes not included, meals not included）
Access: Approximately 2-minute walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Kyoto city subway or 5-minute walk from Sanjo Station on the Keihan Main Line
About OMO Brand
City tourism hotel to discover the wonders of the city
OMO is a city tourism hotel in a convenient city-center location, perfect for exploring the deep, urban culture. We consider the city centered around the hotel to be part of our resort, offering a variety of options to see, eat and shop. With the cooperation of the local community, city-lovers can get an insight into culture through our original tours and maps; sharing locals’ all-time favorites to hidden gems only with you!
What is an OMO number?
The number after “OMO” in the name of the property represents the breadth of our services to meet a variety of travel needs. With this number, guests can choose an OMO hotel that is best suited for a particular trip. Every trip may differ depending on its purpose and the way time is spent will change accordingly, so find your best OMO, which is your number 1 supporter of city tourism.
About Hoshino Resorts
Hoshino Resorts was first established as a Japanese inn/ryokan in 1914 in Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture before it began the operation of other resorts in Japan. Today, it has evolved into a highly influential hotel management company and is run by 4th-generation family member Yoshiharu Hoshino. Providing a unique experience focused on the local charms of each destination and a high level of omotenashi, Japanese-style hospitality, the company has expanded rapidly out of Karuizawa since 2001 and now operates more than 60 accommodations both in and outside Japan with one of the following categories: luxury hotel brand “HOSHINOYA,” hot spring ryokan brand “KAI,” countryside resort hotel brand “RISONARE,” city tourism hotel brand “OMO,” free-spirited hotel brand “BEB,” or other unique lodgings.
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