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祇園祭
gion matsuri
What does "祇園祭" mean in English?
Gion Festival毎年7月に京都で行われる祇園祭は、日本三大祭りの一つです。
The Gion Festival, held every July in Kyoto, is one of Japan's three great festivals.
How to use "祇園祭" correctly: definitions and examples in English?
formal
A major traditional festival held annually in July in Kyoto, Japan, featuring grand processions, floats, and cultural performances.
祇園祭の山鉾巡行は、多くの観光客でにぎわいます。
The Gion Festival's float procession draws huge crowds of tourists.
祇園祭は、平安時代から続く歴史ある祭りです。
The Gion Festival is a historic festival that dates back to the Heian period.
The festival is centered around Yasaka Shrine in the Gion district of Kyoto. It is known for its elaborate floats (yamaboko) and yatai (food stalls).
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Remembering the festival's name
The name '祇園祭' combines the Gion district (祇園) with 'festival' (祭). Think of it as 'Gion's Festival' to recall the connection to Kyoto's Gion area.
Gold Rule
Pronunciation
The correct romanization is 'Gion matsuri'. Avoid mispronouncing it as 'Gion sa-i' (the kanji for '祭' can be read as 'matsuri' or 'sai').
Word Origin
The festival originates from a purification ritual to ward off plagues in the 9th century. '祇園' refers to the Gion district of Kyoto (originally named '祇園社' after the shrine), and '祭' means festival. The name '祇園' comes from '祇樹' (Gion, the garden of the gods) and '園' (garden).
Usage Notes
The festival spans the entire month of July, with the main events (like the Yamaboko Junko procession) occurring in the middle of the month. It is one of the most famous and visually spectacular festivals in Japan.
Word Breakdown
祇
Gion (a district in Kyoto)
root園
garden/park
root祭
festival
root和英辞典