It was my first time attending the Gion Matsuri on July 17, 2016 in Kyoto.
I left home at 7:30 am and took a train to Gion-Shijo Station in Kyoto. It took about an hour from Yodoyabashi Station.
When I got there, I stopped at the Visitors Information Center at the station to grab a map of the matsuri. The person at the center recommended that I watch the floats at the street corner to see all the turning. I tried to go to the corner of Shijo and Kawaramachi but couldn’t get in, so I kept walking north. I settled at the corner of Kawaramachi and Oike across from the City Hall. I got there around 9:30 am. The first float didn’t arrive until around 10:30 am. By that time, it was packed. I watched the floatsfor about an hour. My feet were so tired, so I started walking back.
After the parade, I explored the area, had lunch at Ootoya, and went back to Osaka around 4 pm.
