Kyoto Marks 130 Years of Jidai Matsuri

Oct 23, 2025 | News On Japan

KYOTO - The Jidai Festival, one of Kyoto’s three grand festivals, was held as a parade of people dressed in costumes representing different historical eras made its way through the streets of the ancient capital.

First held in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the transfer of the capital to Heian-kyo, the festival marked its 130th anniversary this year. The highlight was the “Procession of Historical Costumes,” with participants wearing traditional attire symbolizing various periods from the Heian era to the Meiji Restoration.

The parade of about 2,000 participants included figures representing historical icons such as Oda Nobunaga and Sakamoto Ryoma. It took roughly two hours to travel from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine.

Although the temperature in Kyoto on October 22nd reached only 16°C—the coldest of the season—some 43,000 spectators braved the rain to line the streets, captivated by the magnificent pageantry that brightened the autumn avenues of the ancient city.

Source: YOMIURI

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