On 22nd of October, there was another popular festival in Kyoto held in Kurama, the northern small surburb of Kyoto.
The festival is very unique, because locals parade down the street of suburb with huge torches.Its original purpose was to illuminate the path thorough the world of the living for the spirits of the departed.
The festival begins at 6pm and continues to till past midnight. Fires are lighted in front of homes in Kurama for the opening of ceremonies. Childrens carrying small lighted torches marches down the street first, and after that teams of men chanting and marching to the rhythms of drums carry huge torches, the biggest one weighs over100 kilograms. The torch carriers finally gather in front of Yuki-jinja Shrine and a portable shrine, or mikoshi, is carried through the smoky streets until the festival ends.
I went to this festival with my friend and I would like to report this in 2 separate chapters.
The road which has access to Kurama very narrow, so in the tourist season there are heavy traffic jam occures.There is bus route by Kyoto bus but it only runs 4 times a day.Currently it is the best to take Eizan Dentetsu Kurama line to get to Kurama.In tourist season people try to avoid traffic jam by taking train, but the maximum number of carriege is two,so the train gets almost as bad as fully packed train in rush hour Tokyo.
When this festival held, roads get closed after 3pm and only locals has the access.So the only access to the area is by Eizan train, therefore the train gets packed. Really packed.
Kurama line starts from Demachiyanagi station, however it is best not to take the train from here.They will limit the number of people get on the train but not from other station inbetween Demachiyamagi and Kurama.If you prefer to sit down in the train, the only way is wait in the que.
Me and my friend decided to take train from Iwakura station.To get to Iwakura station, take Karasuma Line Subway and get off at Kokusaikaikan station(station number K01)and walk about 10mins. It costs 320Yen from Iwakura station to Kurama and takes about 17mins.We were ready to take crowded train but we did not expected the train to be this crowded...
There were few people thought same things as we did and about 10~15 people got on the train between Iwakura to Kurama. I do not use train in rush hour usually and even I did Kyoto's train doesn't get packed as this, so this was theworst crowded train I took.
After getting off at the station there were already policeofficers guiding tourists to take route setted up.
At this time we didn't have any idea how crowded the festival gets...
TO be continued...