
I joined Houe-Kago procession yesterday and today.
Houe-Kago is the traditional event which has held since Edo period.
The famous Houe-Kago is the one held in Osaka.
Houe-Kago group goes to Ebisu Shrine which is dedicated the God for business the first to get the special gifts from the priest and goes to many companies and stores to give the gifts.
The biggest Ebisu Shrine is in Osaka, so they hold a big procession.
In Kyoto, actors from Toei-movie theme park goes to Ebisu-Shrine as Houe-Kago every year.
This year I joined it as Tegomai.
Tegomai is a kind of Geisya, which is just for processions or festivals.
So her face is like Geisya but wearing totally different kimono, and a wig.
(Actually her hair style is like Samurai!!)

Though I was nervous to do what I hadn’t done before,
it was really fun to join this procession.
We walked around Kyoto city with saying “Houe-Kago Ho-i ♪”.
Everyone on the street looked us with smile!!
We had warm days this weekend,
it wasn’t too cold, good weather for Houe-Kago.
It is held on 8th and 9th every year.
This year it was on weekend so that there were more people than usual.

The men wearing blue Kimono carried the Japanese traditional cart (駕籠)
which Geisya ( wearing black Kimono) sat in.
The man wearing formal Kimono is the leader, others followed him.
Tegomai which I played walked just behind him.
You can see Geisya when you walk Gion in Kyoto.
However Geisya in this procession are wearing Edo period’s Geisya Kimono.
So they can’t wear Tabi ( socks)…. poor them….
( I was able to wear ones… lucky me ☆)
We always said ” Omedeto-gozaimasu.” ( ” Happy New Year”).
It made me very happy to say that on New Years season,
because people in the companies or stores smiled when we said so.
What a lovely job this was!!
Kyon