宵よい山やま

noun

eve of the main festival; small festival on the night before the main festival

Especially associated with the Gion Festival in Kyoto, where the streets are closed to traffic and lined with stalls on the nights leading up to the main parade.

See also: 宵宮

• 祇ぎ園おん祭まつりの宵よい山やまには、毎まい年とし多おおくの観かん光こう客きゃくが訪おとずれる。

  Many tourists visit the Gion Festival's Yoiyama every year.

• 宵よい山やまの夜よる、浴衣ゆかたを着きて屋や台たいを回まわるのが楽たのしみだ。

  On the night of Yoiyama, I look forward to walking around the stalls in a yukata.