Jidai Matsuri

Month : October
Place : Kyoto, Japan
Famous For : Cultural Festival
Attractions : Costume performers dressed as samurai, Military figures, Portable Shrines , Japanese womenfolk dressed in Junihitoe

The Jidai Matsuri is a traditional festival held in Japan. Also popular by the name of the "Festival of the Ages", the Jidai Matsuri is held every year on October 22 in Kyoto, Japan. It is one of Kyoto's renowned three great festivals, enjoyed by people of all ages. The masses participate in its historical reenactment parade dressed in authentic costumes representing various periods, and characters in Japanese feudal history.

Major Attractions

Jidai Matsuri traces its origin with the relocation of the Japanese capital to Tokyo in 1868. This involved the relocation of the Emperor of Japan and his imperial family, the Imperial Palace and thousands of government officials and subjects to the city. The festival staged a costume procession representing people of each era in Kyoto history. The celebrations of Jidai Matsuri festival early morning with the "mikoshi" (portable shrines) brought out of the Old Imperial Palace. The costume procession takes off in the afternoon, with approximately 2,000 costume performers dressed as samurai, military figures and common people from the earliest eras to the Meiji era Behind this, is a procession of Japanese womenfolk dressed in elaborate junihitoe and trailing at the end of the procession, the mikoshi being carried from the Palace along with costumed military band playing the gagaku towards the Heian Shrine where the procession ends.