Chimaki, awarded during the Gion Festival, is a talisman made of bamboo leaves to ward off plague and misfortune.
The origin of this story is related to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the main deity of Yasaka Shrine. When Susanoo-no-Mikoto asked for a place to stay for the night on his journey, a man named Sominshorai, though poor, treated him warmly. Susanoo-no-Mikoto was moved by the warm hospitality and promised to protect her from plague as a descendant of Somin-shorai if she wore a thatch ring around her waist. The thatch ring, which became a landmark, was made by wrapping a bundle of thatch around it, hence the name "chimaki," which in turn became known as "chimaki" or "zongzi. The bundle of chimaki is accompanied by a talisman inscribed with the words, "Su-Min-Shogai-Descendants" (蘇民将来子孫也).
In Kyoto, people hang hachimaki at the entrance of their houses to pray for good health, and return them to Yasaka Shrine or Yamahoko where they were given after one year.

Chimakis are usually given at the town hall of each float during the Yoiyama period of the Gion Festival. Yoiyama is the three-day period three days before, two days before, and one day before the Yamaboko procession on July 17 (Mae-matsuri) and July 24 (Goto-matsuri). Please note that the locations, period, and time of the chimaki awarding may be subject to change.

The Choto-hoko float is said to be the earliest of the Yamaboko floats and was built before the Onin War. It was originally dedicated by Munechika Sanjo Koukaji to Yasaka Shrine to pray for his daughter's recovery from illness, and a large long sword was hung at the head of the float. Since ancient times, it has led the Yamahoko-junko procession every year in the pre-matsuri festival as a float with no kuji-toriwazu. Today, it is the only float with a live child on it, and the cutting of the sacred rope by the child is one of the highlights of the procession. The long sword, believed to ward off disease and evil, is decorated with chimaki (a kind of sweetened rice cake) to ward off evil spirits.

Name of the float: Naginataboko
Place of conferment / Choto-Hoko Preservation Society Town Hall
Awarding period/July 13 (Sun.) to 16 (Wed.) *Once the prescribed number of units for direct awarding has been reached, the awarding will end.
Award price / 1,200 yen

［Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto is the deity of water and rules the night, and is often associated with the moon and water. The crescent moon on the head of the float is made of 18-karat gold, and there are also carvings of rabbits said to have been made by Jingoro Sa and attic paintings by Okyo Maruyama, as well as other excellent craftwork and decorations throughout. The chimaki, decorated with red and white paper, also conveys the glamorous appearance of the Hoko, which is praised as a "moving museum.

Name of the float: Tsukihoko
Place of conferment / Tsukiboko Town Hall
Awarding period / July 13 (Sun.) - 16 (Wed.)
Award price/1,000 yen

［The name "Kikusuiboko" comes from Kikusui-i, a well said to have existed in the town during the Muromachi period (1333-1573). It was destroyed by fire in 1864, but was rebuilt in 1953. On the head of the float is a golden openwork Juroku-benkikuka (16-barrel chrysanthemum). The doll, Kikumaru, dressed in Noh costume and dancing, represents Makura Jido, a character in a Japanese folk song who drank chrysanthemum dew and lived a long life (700 years). When you receive a chimaki to ward off bad luck, take the time to admire the "Showa-era Hoko" costumes that have been revived through the enthusiasm of the townspeople.

Name of float: Kikusuihoko
Place of conferment / Kikusuihoko Town Hall
Awarding period / July 13 (Sun.) - 16 (Wed.)
Awarded price / 1,500 yen (with worship ticket)

Hakodani float, which is the second largest float after Nagatohoko and the fifth largest in the entire procession, was destroyed by fire in 1788, but was rebuilt in 1839 after 50 years of restoration. It was named after the legend that during the Warring States period in China, Meng Tze-kun of the Qi Dynasty was able to escape from the Hakodani Pass thanks to a shokunin who imitated the sound of a clucking chicken. The "heavenly king's throne" in the middle of the maki is dedicated to Mengtae-kun, with a male and female chicken below him. The outer bag that holds the chimaki to ward off bad luck has a drawing of the entire float on it, impressing with its imposing appearance.

Name of the float: Kankoboko
Place of conferment: Hakodani-Hoko Town Hall
Awarding period / July 13 (Sun.) - 16 (Wed.)
Award price / 1,500 yen

The deity of Mt. Hoshozan is a doll of Yasumasa Hirai, a nobleman of the Heian period (794-1185). Its appearance is said to be inspired by a story in which Yasumasa snuck into the palace at night to fulfill the wish of his sweetheart Izumishikibu, and broke off a branch of the red plum tree in the Shikin-den Hall. Until the early Meiji period (1868-1912), the shrine was also known as "Hananusubito Yama," meaning "the mountain of flower thieves. The chimaki, which is used to ward off bad luck, is also decorated with plum blossoms that tell a romantic tale of love in ancient times.

Name of float: Hosho-yama
Place of conferment / Hoshozan Town Hall
Awarding period / July 13 (Sun.) to 17 (Thu.) (tentative)
Award price/1,000 yen

Yamabushi-san (Mt. Yamabushi), which takes its name from the sacred body of a mountain ascetic who was popular as a folk belief in the Edo period (1603-1868). The shrine is dedicated to Jozo Kisho, a priest of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. A few days before the pilgrimage, a purification ceremony is held at Yasaka Shrine and mountain priests from Shogoin hold a goma burning ceremony, giving visitors a glimpse of the pre-Shintōbutsu (the separation of Buddhism and Shintoism) days. If you visit the meeting place, do not miss the thatched ring set up in the back. It is also nice to receive a miniature thatch ring along with a chimaki to ward off bad luck.

Name of the float: Yamabushiyama (Mt. Yamabushi)
Place of conferment/Yamabushiyama Town Hall
Awarding period / July 14 (Mon.) - 16 (Wed.)
Award price / 1,200 yen

The "Funaboko" (float) decorates the end of the Mae-matsuri procession. According to a story about Empress Jingu, the entire float is shaped like a ship, and is also called the "departure for battle float. The sacred object enshrined in the float is the figure of Empress Jingu, who, in spite of being in her last month of pregnancy, dressed as a man to go to war. After the procession, a belly band wrapped around the sacred object is given as a birth control charm. The hakama paper of the chimaki is decorated with an undulating wave pattern that tells the story of the origin of the float.

Name of the float: Funehoko
Place of conferment / Funaboko Town Hall
Awarding period / July 13 (Sun.) - 16 (Wed.)
Award price/1,000 yen

Carp Mountain" is based on the Chinese legend that a carp that climbs the torrent of the Dragon's Gate becomes a dragon. The carved wooden carp, which depicts a heroic figure leaping and climbing up a waterfall, is said to have been made by the Edo period master craftsman, Jingoro Sa. Also of note are valuable ornaments, such as a Belgian tapestry from the 16th century, designated as an important cultural property. The powerful carp depicted on the chimaki bags, hakagami, and ema (votive tablet) will give you the courage to overcome any obstacle you may face.

Name of float: Koiyama (carp float)
Place of conferment / Koiyama Town Hall
Awarding period/July 21 (Monday, national holiday) to 23 (Wednesday)
Award price/1,000 yen

According to the "Gion Sha Ki," the "Ofunaboko" was built in 1441 (Kakichi 1). While the Funaboko of the previous festival represents Empress Jingu's departure for battle, this one depicts her triumphant return after winning the battle. Since its return to the parade in 2014 for the first time in 150 years, it has served as the shingari of the second festival, without taking a lot of lots. Since dragons are often used as ornaments, they are also placed on the hakama paper of the chimaki. The dragon flying between the auspicious clouds in the sky and the blue ocean waves on the ground is said to be meant to ward off evil.

Name of the float: Ofuneboko
Place of conferment / Shijo-machi Ofunaboko Preservation Society Office
Awarding period: July 13 (Sun.) - 16 (Wed.), July 20 (Sun.) - 23 (Wed.) *Only when the total number of awards has been given will it end.
Award price/1,000 yen

［Tenugui (hand towel)" by Kakkosan
Mt. Guogeosan is named after the legend of Guogeo, who appears in the Chinese historical tale "The Twenty-Four Filial Piety". Also known as "Kama-bori-san," the mountain is said to bring good luck in the form of money. Many of the gifts are decorated with motifs of a hoe and a pot of gold, in reference to the episode in which Kakugeo dug up a pot of gold with a hoe. Tenugui hand towels, dyed by a traditional technique called chusen (pouring dye), are available in several designs, so try to find your favorite.

Name of the float: Kakko-yama (Mt. Kakkyo)
Place of conferment / Kakkozan Town Hall, Gozan side tent
Awarding period / July 14 (Mon.) - 16 (Wed.)
Award price / 1,200 yen

［Inu-mikuji" (dog fortune) at Mt.
In 2022, it will return to the rear of the festival for the first time in 196 years. In 2022, the festival returned to the rear of the festival for the first time in 196 years. The Inu-mikuji, with its adorable face, is associated with the Inukai, one of the three sacred objects of the festival, and there are also other omikuji with a hawk and chimaki motif. You can choose one of them, or enjoy drawing all three types.

Name of the float: Takayama
Place of conferment / Takayama Town Hall
Awarding period/July 21 (Monday, national holiday) to 23 (Wednesday)
Award price/700 yen

［The "Passing Handprint" of [Hakurakutenzan].
Birakuten, a Tang Dynasty poet, and Zen Master Dorin, who lives on top of an old pine tree, exchange questions and answers about Buddhism [Birakutenzan]. The temple is said to be blessed with good fortune for academic achievement and success in entrance examinations, as it is associated with the spirit of seeking the path of Birakuten, who was impressed by Zen master Dorin's answers. Among the many prizes, the handbill for passing an entrance examination is a perfect talisman for entrance examinations. On the reverse side of the handprint is a picture of a mountain, as if to support those who study hard in the shadows.

Name of float / Hakurakutenyama
Place of conferment / Hakuraku Tenzan Town Hall
Awarding period / July 14 (Mon.) - 16 (Wed.)
Award price/1,000 yen

［Kacho candy" at Jomyozan
［The name "Jomyozan" comes from a passage in the "Tale of the Heike" about a battle along the Uji River. In the battle for the lead in the "Battle of the Bridge," young Ichirai Houshi leaps over the head of Tsutsui Jomyobo, a man of great prowess. On the mountain, the sacred objects are connected to each other with wedges of wood to beautifully express the acrobatic gesture. This dynamic image can also be seen in the illustration that adorns the Katsudoame (victory candy), a prize given to the god. ［The two types of red and white candies, which have been purified at Yasaka Shrine, are delicious and bring good luck for the winners.

Name of the float: Jomyozan (Mt.)
Place of conferment/Store in front of Jomyozan Decorative Seat
Awarding period/July 21 (Monday, national holiday) to 23 (Wednesday)
Award price/700 yen