Heian-jingu (Jidai Matsuri)

photo by そらみみ · CC BY-SA 3.0

photo by lienyuan lee · CC BY 3.0

Two thousand people and twelve thousand props, in a historical procession two kilometres long.

The Jidai Matsuri, the ‘festival of the ages’, stages the history of Kyoto on foot: about 2,000 people in costume, divided into 20 groups that go backwards through eight historical periods – from the nineteenth-century Meiji Restoration back to the founding of the city in 794 – parade for two kilometres from the Imperial Palace to the shrine, with about 12,000 costumes, weapons and props reconstructed on a historical basis. It was created in 1895 for the 1,100th anniversary of Kyoto's founding as capital, the same year in which the shrine that hosts it was built.

Heian Shrine, in the Okazaki district, was built in 1895 as a scaled-down replica of the eighth-century imperial palace, to celebrate the city's 1,100 years; it is dedicated to the two emperors who opened and closed the Heian period of Kyoto as capital.

ℹ️ The shrine is free and always accessible; the inner garden (神苑) is open 8:30–17:00 from March to September (shorter hours in other months), 600 yen. The Jidai Matsuri procession is held every 22 October, setting off at 12:00 from the Imperial Palace and arriving at the shrine in the early afternoon; postponed by one day in case of rain.

🚉 Higashiyama · 14 min walk

Sources: heianjingu.or.jp · heianjingu.or.jp

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