Category
Kyoto’s History Takes a Very Long Walk Today
Kyoto’s Festival of the Ages turns the city’s streets into a history lesson with considerably better costumes.
Jidai Matsuri
When: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Route: Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Jingu Shrine
Scheduled procession: Noon departure; arrival at the shrine around 2:30 p.m., Japan time
Explore: Kyoto’s official festival guide
Roughly 2,000 participants form a procession about two kilometers long. Its historical groups move from the turbulent 19th century back through earlier eras, including figures such as Murasaki Shikibu and Oda Nobunaga. The official schedule allows postponement to October 23 for rain.
