Yoiyoiyama

　Tonight is Yoiyoiyama, the night two days before Yamahoko Procession. Starting tonight, Shijo Street will become a pedestrian-only zone, lined with yamahoko floats and food stalls.

　In the Yamahoko Procession, the order of the parade is determined by lottery to avoid disputes over the order, but the Naginata-boko, located near Shijo Station, serves as a messenger of the gods and is tasked with breaking the sacred barrier; as such, it is exempt from the lottery and always leads the procession. It is the most popular float, and there is always a line of people waiting to buy chimaki, amulet to Ward Off Evil.

　When I hear the “konchikichin” rhythm of the Gion Bayashi—composed of cymbals, drums, and flutes—and feel that summer has arrived, perhaps I’ve become a little bit of a Kyoto native myself.