Konkonchikichin, konchikichin. In July, with the Gion festival music filling the air, Kyoto is completely immersed in the Gion Festival. The Gion Festival, with a history of over a thousand years, is the festival of Yasaka Shrine, featuring a variety of events throughout the month from July 1st (Kippu-iri) to July 31st (Ekijinja Nagoshisai). Among these, the Yamaboko Junko processions on the 17th (Saki-matsuri) and the 24th (Ato-matsuri), as well as the evening festivities known as Yoiyama on each date, draw huge crowds and fill the city of Kyoto with the excitement of the festival.