Iwato Yama – The Sun-Goddess Float of Gion Matsuri

 In the heart of Kyoto’s early festival (Saki Matsuri), the float Iwato Yama stands as a powerful symbol of ancient legend and renewal. It retells the story of Amaterasu Ōmikami, Japan’s primordial sun goddess, who withdrew into a cave (the “Ama-no-Iwato”) after her brother’s mischief—and plunged the world into darkness. 

On this float, you’ll find representations of three major deities: Izanagi No-Mikoto, Tajikarao-no-Mikoto and Amaterasu herself.  That means it’s not just a float; it’s a moving shrine of mythology, woven into the street of Kyoto for the festival. Iwato Yama’s name (stone-door float) evokes the legendary rock-door that blocked the cave—and the moment when daylight returned to the world. 

Watching Iwato Yama in the parade gives you more than spectacle: you sense Japan’s creation myths, the origins of its emperors, and the interplay of light and shadow in story-form. It’s one of those festival sights that lingers in memory long after the crowds fade.