Kyoto's Gion Festival: A Social History (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781350229921)

This book focuses on the long history of what is arguably the most prestigious and influential festival in Japan - Kyoto's Gion festival. It explores this history from the festival's origins in the late 10th century to its post-war revival, drawing on Japanese historical studies and archival materials as well as the author's participant observation fieldwork.

Exploring the social and political networks that have kept this festival alive for over a millennium, this book reveals how it has endured multiple reinventions. In particular, it identifies how at each historical juncture, different groups have found new purposes for the festival and adapted this costly enterprise to suit their own ends. The history of this festival not only sheds light on the development of Japanese festival culture as a whole, but also offers a window on Kyoto's history and provides a testing ground for recent festival theory.

Author: Mark Teeuwen
ISBN-10: 135022992X
ISBN-13: 9781350229921
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Language: English
Published: 02/09/2023
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.23lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.63d