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Jidai Matsuri
時代祭
Jidai Matsuri, the Festival of the Ages, is the grand festival of Heian Shrine and one of Kyoto's three great festivals. It began in 1895 to celebrate 1,100 years since Kyoto became the capital, and it is held on 22 October, the city's founding day.
About 2,000 people in carefully researched costumes walk about 2 km in procession, going back through history from the Meiji Restoration to the Heian period: samurai in armour, court ladies, Edo-period merchants' wives and famous women of the past. The costumes and props, about 12,000 items, are made by Kyoto's traditional craftspeople.
What to see and do
Eight historical periods in 20 sections, starting with the Meiji-era fife-and-drum band.
Edo, medieval and Heian women's sections, taken in turn by local women's groups and the five geisha districts.
The shrine's two phoenix palanquins carry the enshrined emperors through the city.
The procession ends at the shrine's giant torii and vermilion halls.
What’s on
Good to know
- The procession takes about 2 hours to pass any one point, so choose a spot and stay.
- If it rains, the procession is postponed; check the shrine's decision on the morning of the 22nd.