Ayagasa-hoko 綾傘鉾

This is one of the parasol-type floats that are regarded as a prototype of the Gion-Festival floats. This float features a large parasol, and is accompanied by divine messenger boys known as “Chigo”, and a troop of musicians and stick twirlers during the parade.

The members who accompany this float during the parade wear “red-bear” masks with long hair, and the stick twirlers dance to music made with bells, drums and flutes. The performing troop traditionally comes from the nearby community of Mibu.

Though this float was excluded from the parade for a number of years, the Ayagasa-hoko made its comeback in 1979 through the efforts of the local people.

The aprons on the parasol are titled the ‘Flowers of the Four Seasons’ by Kako Moriguchi, a living national treasure textile-dyer, and ‘The Flying Angels’ which was donated by local volunteers.