Kyoto Festivals & Events
There are a number of religious and cultural celebrations that 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 |