Aoi Matsuri, also known as Hollyhock Festival, is one of the oldest festivals in Japan held annually on May 15th in Kyoto. It is held in honor of Kamo-no-Matsuri, the Shinto deity of the Kamo-gawa river. The festival features a procession of participants dressed in ancient Heian-period costumes, including courtiers and noblewomen, as they carry offerings of hollyhock leaves, branches and other gifts to the Kamo Shrine. The procession passes through several streets in central Kyoto, making its way to the shrine where the offerings are presented. Aoi Matsuri is an important event in Kyoto’s cultural and historical heritage and attracts many visitors each year.
