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Kyoto: City Govt. Plans Trial Project to Allow View of Gion Festival Procession from Rooftop; Trial Limited to 100 Applicants

Courtesy of Kyoto municipal government
Gion Festival Yamahoko float procession is seen from the rooftop of the Kyoto city hall building last year.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:13 JST, June 21, 2024

KYOTO – A trial project allowing visitors to watch a Gion Festival procession from a rooftop garden will be held in Kyoto on July 17.

The city will allow visitors to view the Yamahoko float processions at the Gion Festival from the roof of the city hall building.

Attendees can bring their own food and drink, and numbers will be limited to 100 to prevent overcrowding. To ensure the view remains clear, parasols and umbrellas will not be permitted. The use of tripods and selfie sticks will also be prohibited for safety reasons.

The rooftop garden opened in 2021 after being reinforced for earthquakes and is currently open between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Applications for the procession viewing will be accepted until July 8 and will be chosen by lottery if there are a large number of requests. Applications can be made by phone.