10月15日、午後から平安神宮へ行き、この日に行われた「時代祭宣状祭（じだいまつりせんじょうさい）」を見てきました。

平安神宮では、10月22日の時代祭を1週間後に控えたこの日に、毎年「時代祭宣状祭」が執り行われます。この祭典では、時代祭が無事に執行されるよう祈願するとともに、時代祭の行列に参加される「平安講社員」約500人に、任命書にあたる宣状が一人一人に授与されます。

その後、大極殿の前では「時代祭奉祝踊り足固め」が行われました。これは神様にお祝いの舞を奉納する行事で、京都市地域女性連合会の方々約100名が、白と紺の揃いの浴衣姿で華やかな日本舞踊を披露。境内に優雅な音楽と拍手が響いていました。

大極殿の内部は撮影禁止ですが、外では写真撮影が可能なので、奉祝踊りの様子をしっかり撮ってきました。ただ残念ながら、現在は大極殿が塗装工事中で、灰色のシートに覆われている状態。工事は2030年まで続くそうなので、しばらくは完成した姿を見るのはお預けになりそうです。

京都はいよいよ、時代祭の機運が高まってきましたね。ではでは。


One Week Until the Jidai Matsuri: Visiting the Senjō-sai Ceremony at Heian Shrine

On October 15, I visited Heian Shrine in the afternoon to see the Jidai Matsuri Senjō-sai (Proclamation Ceremony) held on that day.

At Heian Shrine, this ceremony is held annually exactly one week before the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages), which takes place on October 22. During the Senjō-sai, prayers are offered for the festival’s safe and successful performance, and about 500 members of the Heian-kō Association, who will take part in the grand procession, each receive an official appointment scroll known as a senjō.

After the ceremony, in front of the Daigokuden Hall, another event called the Jidai Matsuri Hōshuku Odori Ashigatame took place. This is a celebratory dance dedicated to the deities, performed by around 100 members of the Kyoto City Women’s Association. Dressed in matching white and navy yukata, they gracefully performed traditional Japanese dances to the accompaniment of elegant music and applause that filled the shrine grounds.

Photography is not allowed inside the Daigokuden, but photos can be taken outside, so I made sure to capture plenty of shots of the performance. Unfortunately, the Daigokuden is currently undergoing a major repainting project and is covered by gray scaffolding sheets. The restoration work is expected to continue until 2030, so it will be a while before we can see the completed building again.

With the Senjō-sai now behind us, the atmosphere in Kyoto is steadily building toward the Jidai Matsuri itself. I can’t wait to see the main festival day arrive!