Kyoto Festivals & Events
There are a number of religious and cultural celebrations which take place all across the city throughout the year. Tourists are more than welcome to attend and partake in these fun filled and exciting Kyoto festivals and events.
Z3144228, Gion Matsuri-05, Cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0
| Festival | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Toshiya festival | A 400 year old archery competition held at the Sanjusangen-do temple as part of the ‘coming of age’ day celebrations. | Second Sunday of January |
| Aoi matsuri | The Aoi Matsuri is a large procession which starts at the Imperial Palace and ends at the Kamigamo Shrine with the aim of appeasing the Shinto deities. | May 15 |
| Gion matsuri | The millenia old Gion Matsuri takes place across Kyoto. It’s one of the 3 main festivals held in the city and consists of parades to appease and entertain the Shinto gods. | July 1 – July 31 |
| Daimonji fire festival | Each year in August fires in the shape of kanji characters burn on the hillsides of Kyoto City. | August 16 |
| Jidai matsuri | The Jidai matsuri is a 5 hour long parade which starts at the Kyoto Imperial Palace to commemorate and celebrate the city after the capital was moved from here to Tokyo. | October 22 |