During Mifune Matsuri, a procession of lavishly decorated boats carrying costumed courtiers, musicians and dancers makes its way down the Oi River in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto. The spectacle re-enacts the Imperial Boating Party of the Heian period (794-1192).
Two dozen boats, their prows in the form of colourful dragons and phoenixes, take part in the Arashiyama Mifune (boating) festival. Sacred dances, poetry readings, Noh dramas and traditional melodies are performed on the boats, while beautiful Kyoto fans are floated downstream in a tradition that dates back to the 9th century, when Arashiyama was a favourite beauty spot of the Heian court.
Hire a rowing boat or book a place on a sightseeing barge for a close-up view of the water-borne performances, or join the crowds watching from the river bank and Arashiyama's famous Togetsu Bridge. It's a fabulous photo opportunity, and in addition to the boats and cultural performances, it's well worth arriving early to see the gorgeously costumed participants parading from the Kurumazaki Shrine down to the river bank.
Hire a rowing boat or book a place on a sightseeing barge for a close-up view of the water-borne performances, or join the crowds watching from the river bank and Arashiyama's famous Togetsu Bridge. It's a fabulous photo opportunity, and in addition to the boats and cultural performances, it's well worth arriving early to see the gorgeously costumed participants parading from the Kurumazaki Shrine down to the river bank.
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