“Saigu Procession” held around Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

 Bamboo forest of Arashiyama is always bustling with people and most of them are from overseas. With so many foreign visitors, some time I feel like walking in the somewhere outside of Japan such as China… There is the one way to escape from such feeling and coming back to Japan in Arashiyama. That is “Saigu Procession”.

On the day of “Saigu Procession” you can enjoy many Japanese wearing traditional clothes. Every year, it is the annual event held third Sunday of October so I went to Arashiya that day with my guest to see the procession.

                               

 The place we enjoyed the procession was located just after crossing the Togetsu-kyo bridge. We could take many photos without bothering traffic. And it was the place where the procession stops and all associates of the procession is supposed to be gathered there and supposed to be taken the group photo. It was the best place to take whole procession with backdrop of the bridge and mountains of Arashiyama.

 Those ancient instruments are associated with Shintoism. It is used for enhancing the power of deities.

 Saigu procession has historical significance and originally it headed to Ise Shrine, the most important Japanese Shintoism shrine located between Kyoto and Tokyo. Even president Obama visited there this May because G8 summit was held in the prefecture of Grand Shrine Ise.

The procession is mainly consisted of locals.

 Talking about the procession consists of people wearing historical costumes, we remind the “Jidaimatsuri” or "Festival of Ages" , its procession starts from the imperial place in Kyoto to Heinan shrine. It is so interesting festival that you can enjoy many traditional costumes but the problem is that it is always clouded with people around the procession. This year, festival of Ages procession was held the next Sunday of Saigu so I expected many people coming to enjoy it. Thet’s why I chose for Saigu procession instead of “Jidaimatsuri”.

After enjoyed the procession, we climbed up to the Monkey Park located in the almost top of the mountain. I took about 20 minutes to get to there but on the way to the destination, my guest could ask me some general questions of Japanese culture such as the local festivals. It was good change escaping from the noisy cities and attract with cute monkeys.

Please be careful, some monkeys would upset to you if you take the photo of them in close distance.

Before the Arashiyama, we visited Nijo Castle located nearby my guest accommodation. On the way to the castle, we stopped in the shrine that has golden tori gate. It is the shrine associated with metals. There were also water purification basin to wash coins. Maybe we can expect the purified coins would attract more of them in your wallet.

 Maybe you would notice that my guest wearing old costume again. Shigureden is the best place to enjoy to experience old aristocrat culture and avoid crowd of people in Arashiyama.