Ep 54: Kyoto, Japan [Retaking Vintage Travel Photos of Heian Shrine + Gion Matsuri Yamahoko Parade]

In this video, we’re in Kyoto retaking two photos from our 1950s “Around the World in 2,000 Pictures Book”. The first photo takes us to Heion Shrine, to the famous Shin’en Gardens and the stepping stones seen in the movie “Lost in Translation”. The second photo had us attending the 2023 Gion Matsuri Festival, where we saw the Yamahoko Floats and the carrying of the Mikashi through town.
Since this book is from the 1950’s, we also looked into how these two photos might be significant during the time period. How did WWII affect festivals in Japan? And why might the inclusion of the Heian Shrine be more than a coincidence? All speculation, of course!
- Our Kyoto Itinerary: • Kyoto: 3 Day Guide (Th...
- Playlist of our Japan Travel Videos: • Japan + SE Asia Travel...
Affiliate Links:
- Hotels in Kyoto: www.booking.co...
- Where We Stayed: www.booking.co...
- Get 30 Days Free of Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicso...
- Our Patreon Page: patreon.com/Wi...
Get Your Guide Experiences:
- Kyoto Full Day UNESCO Sites Tour: gyg.me/xhMdYE5r
- Gion Night Walking Tour: gyg.me/cXBlLb0u
- Nishiki Market and Culture Tour: gyg.me/oI1aMqjc
Sources:
- Gion Festival Events: kyoto.travel/e...
- TH-cam Video on a float’s journey: • Gion Matsuri: The Hoka...
- TH-cam Video UNESCO Yamahoko Parade: • Yamahoko, the float ce...
- Heian Shrine: www.japan-expe...
- Heian Shrine: www.discoverky...
- The Shinto Directive: en.wikipedia.o...
- Dragon Stepping Stones: muza-chan.net/...
- Stepping Stones: www.pbase.com/...
- Imamiya Festival: www.imamiyajinj...
- Shinto Directive: en.wikipedia.o...
- “State Shinto Nightmares in Abe’s Japan”: www.japansubcu...
- “Wartime as seen in Gion Kai Yamahoko Association Records: Gion Festival During the Occupation Period, “Humanities Journal” No. 115 (June 2020), Institute of Humanities, Kyoto University repository.kul...
- Mark Teeuwen (2023) Kyoto's Gion festival: a longue-durée history of patronage, piety, and play, Religion, 53:3, 554-575, DOI: 10.1080/0048721X.2023.2211399 doi.org/10.108...
Images (Wikimedia Commons):
- Heian Shrine Model: CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons...
- Jidai Matsuri, 2009: Corpse Reviver, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommon...
- 1935 Kyoto Festival: AnonymousUnknown author, CC BY 4.0 creativecommon...
- Torii Gate: Sergiy Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommon...
- Heian Shrine: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon...
- Ogawa Jihei: Jnn。, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons...
- Shinto Shrine: hualienrailway1909.blogspot.tw, Public domain
- Mikoshi: A.Davey from Portland, Oregon, EE UU, CC BY 2.0 creativecommon...
- Yamahoko: born1945 from Hillsboro, Oregon, USA, CC BY 2.0
creativecommon...
- Gion Matsuri: 江戸村のとくぞう, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon...
- Gion Matsuri: Z3144228, CC BY-SA 4.0
creativecommon...
- Gion Matsuri: nekonomania, CC BY 2.0creativecommon...
- Gion Matsuri: 江戸村のとくぞう, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon...
- Heian Shrine: Michael Gunther, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon...
- Emperor Showa: 宮内省(Imperial Household Agency), Public domain
- Emperor Showa: www.loc.gov/pi..., Public domain
- Torii Gate Heian Shrine: ttshr1970, CC BY 3.0 creativecommon...
- Heian Shrine: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon...
- Emperor Kammu: Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Hieizan [1], Public domain
- Emperor Kammu: 日本語: 不明English: Unknown, Public domain
- Emperor Komei: Koyama Shotaro (1857 - 1916), Public domain