Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages)

What Is Jidai Matsuri?

October 22nd is the day of "Jidai Matsuri," the grand festival of Heian Shrine in Kyoto. It began in 1895 to celebrate the founding of Heian Shrine, built to mark the 1,100th anniversary of the capital's move to Heian-kyo. Along with the Aoi Matsuri (May) and Gion Matsuri (July), it is counted among Kyoto's three great festivals. October 22nd is the day Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Heian-kyo.

A Grand Procession Traveling Back in Time, from Meiji to Heian

The highlight of Jidai Matsuri is the historical costume procession, in which people dressed in the attire of each era parade through the streets of Kyoto.

• Beginnings: Started in 1895 along with the founding of Heian Shrine
• Organizers: Heian Shrine and the Heian Kosha, a citizens' group established for the festival
• Scale: About 2,000 participants in a procession about 2 km long, taking about three hours
• Route: Departs the Kyoto Imperial Palace at noon and travels about 4.5 km to Heian Shrine
• Order: Travels back in time from the Meiji Restoration through the Edo, Azuchi-Momoyama, Muromachi, Yoshino, Kamakura, Fujiwara and Enryaku periods

Why the Procession Opens with the Meiji Restoration

The procession is made up of 8 eras and 20 groups. It begins with the Meiji Restoration, the era closest to the present, and travels back to the Enryaku period, when Heian-kyo was built. At the rear come the sacred processions of Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Komei, the deities enshrined at Heian Shrine. Watching from the roadside feels like viewing Japanese history in reverse.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Look at photos or videos of the Jidai Matsuri procession
• Learn about the move to Heian-kyo and Emperor Kanmu
• Compare Kyoto's three great festivals: Aoi, Gion and Jidai
• Find your favorite historical figure among those depicted in the procession

A Thousand Years of Capital History Sweeps Through the City in a Day

With about 2,000 people walking in the dress of each era, Jidai Matsuri lets you see and feel Kyoto's long history. On October 22nd, the day Heian-kyo began, take a moment to reflect on the story of the thousand-year capital.