The highlight of Kyoto's Gion Festival, known as Saki Matsuri, took place on Friday, July 17, featuring the first of the grand Yamahoko float processions. Twenty-three elaborately decorated floats, often described as a "moving museum," paraded through the main streets of the former Japanese capital, captivating numerous spectators.

At around 9 a.m., the lead float, Naginata-hoko, departed from the Shijo-Karasuma intersection amid calls from parade staff. Crowds lined the route, enjoying the floats accompanied by Gion-bayashi, traditional festival music consisting of gong, flute, and drum. Many attendees captured the event on smartphones and cameras.

A key spectacle of the parade was the tsujimawashi, a dramatic 90-degree turn executed by the floats at intersections. Bamboo poles were placed under the wheels and wetted, enabling handlers to haul ropes with shouts of "Yo-itose" ("Ready? Heave!") as the massive wheels creaked and the floats swung powerfully.

Despite clear weather, the morning quickly became scorching, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius. According to the Kyoto Local Meteorological Observatory, the city's temperature reached 38°C by 3 p.m. on the day of the procession.

Earlier, on July 15, Shijo Street experienced heavy pedestrian congestion around 6 p.m. due to festival visitors.

The Gion Festival is said to have originated during the Heian period (794–1184), when portable shrines were paraded and prayers were offered for relief from epidemics.

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