Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) — photo by Rainer Haeßner via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) 2026 Confirmed

時代祭 — Kyoto (Kansai)

Last updated: Thu, October 22, 2026

🎟️ Free to watch · paid seats

Staying in Kyoto? See what else is on in Kyoto this season →

Looking for more festivals? See Japan's big traditional festivals and when they run →

The Jidai Matsuri is a living history parade: about 2,000 people in costume, stretching some 2 km, walk from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Jingu, going back in time from the Meiji Restoration to the founding of Kyoto in the 8th century. The costumes and props are made with careful historical research, which makes it one of Kyoto's three great festivals.

Background

The festival began in 1895, to celebrate the founding of Heian Jingu and the 1,100th anniversary of Kyoto becoming the capital, and is held on October 22, the city's founding day. The procession is run by citizens' groups from across Kyoto and covers eight eras in 20 sections, escorting the portable shrines of Heian Jingu's enshrined emperors through the city.

In pictures

Getting there

The procession leaves from in front of Kenreimon Gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace (near Marutamachi or Imadegawa stations on the Karasuma subway line) and ends at Heian Jingu (near Higashiyama Station on the Tozai subway line).

Tips

• The head of the procession leaves the Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gyoen) at about 12:00, reaches Oike-dori at about 1:20 PM and Jingu-michi, the approach to Heian Jingu, at about 2:20 PM (2026 times from the official seat page). It takes about two hours for the whole procession to pass any one point.
• The procession goes back in time: it starts with the Meiji Restoration and works back through eight eras to the Enryaku era of the 790s, when Kyoto became the capital.
• Paid seats for 2026 are in three places — Kyoto Gyoen, Oike-dori and Jingu-michi: ¥7,500 for the front row and ¥5,000 for other rows. They are sold online through Ticket Pia (registration required) and at 7-Eleven stores (P-code 661-579); seats are allocated in order and can't be chosen. Each seat comes with the official guidebook and an audio guide.
• For commentary in English, the special seats in front of Otenmon Gate on Jingu-michi come with live commentary in Japanese and English through an earphone: ¥15,500 front row, ¥13,500 other rows.
• Planning for 2027? The festival is held every October 22 (a Friday next year). Paid seats went on sale on September 8 in 2026, so check the Kyoto City Tourism Association page in early September — they are sold through Ticket Pia, not KKday or Klook.
• Umbrellas and parasols are not allowed in the seating areas because they block the view — bring a raincoat and a hat. Flash photography is banned (it can startle the horses and oxen), and so are tripods in the seating areas and pets.
• Drones are banned at Heian Jingu (the shrine's rule for visitors), so leave yours at the hotel.
• Toilets along the route are limited, so plan ahead before you take your place.
• In the morning the shrine's two portable shrines are carried from Heian Jingu to the Imperial Palace (arriving around 10:00 AM), so the palace grounds are busy well before the noon start.
• The same evening, the Kurama Fire Festival starts at 6:00 PM in the north of the city — it is possible to see both, but trains to Kurama are extremely crowded.

Maintained by Tetsu Yamamoto · Last verified against the official source: Thu, October 22, 2026