The Aoi Matsuri (葵祭), or "Hollyhock Festival", is one of the three main annual festivals held in Kyoto, Japan, the other two being the Festival of the Ages and the Gion Festival. It is a festival of the two Kamo shrines in the north of the city, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. The festival may also be referred to as the Kamo Festival. It is held on 15 May of each year.
The Aoi Matsuri procession, departing in front of Kyoto Imperial Palace's main gate Kenreimon (建礼門)
Man carrying a hollyhock float
The Saiō-Dai carried in her palanquin
The Saiō-Dai and her retinue
Alcea is a genus of over 80 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. They are native to Asia and Europe. The single species of hollyhock from the Americas, the streambank wild hollyhock, belongs to a different genus.
Alcea
Hollyhock weevil (Rhopalapion longirostre)
Man carrying a hollyhock float during the Aoi Matsuri procession
Alcea sp.