AOI MATSURI

The "hollyhock festival" is one of the three largest festivals in Kyoto. On this occasion, dozens of floats parade through the streets of the city from the Imperial Palace, followed by a procession reenacting the Heian aristocracy in period costumes. The tradition, however, predates the Heian period and is thought to date from the 7th century. In order to avoid natural disasters, the emperor made offerings to the gods of the Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines, two of the oldest shrines in Kyoto. The official name remains "Kamo matsuri".