Kyoto Gion Festival readies mountain float parade, featuring child participants and traditional makeup

On July 12, Kyoto held a test‑run, known as the "hikitsutome," of the massive mountain floats that will lead the Gion Festival's main procession. Children and women who are unable to pull the floats in the actual parade took part, drawing cheers from the crowd. The leading float, the long‑spear (長刀) float, carried eight‑year‑old rider Kōtarō Hase among its performers.

The long‑spear float is unique for still carrying live child carriers (ichigo) and a bald attendant (kamuro), regarded as "god's messengers" who help cleanse the city of disease. From July 1 onward the children undergo a series of rites, culminating in the front‑festival parade on July 17. Their faces are painted white by specialist Aoe Nobuyasu, who has performed this role for 28 years. He explains the makeup signifies the children’s sacred status: "白塗りのお化粧は…神聖な存在であることを表しているんです." The preparations highlight the blend of community involvement and centuries‑old tradition that defines the Gion Festival.