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July 1, 2026 at 10:10 am
Event date:
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July 31, 2026 at 10:10 am
Event end:
Celebrate Kyoto’s Grand Tradition — Experience the Timeless Splendor of Gion Festival 2026!
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- Date: July 1 – July 31, 2026
Main Venue
- Main Venue: Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto
Location
- Location: 625 Gion-cho North Side, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City
Contact
- Contact: TEL 075-561-6155 | FAX 075-531-1126
Overview
Celebrate one of Japan’s most iconic and oldest summer festivals — Gion Matsuri, held throughout July in Kyoto. With over 1150 years of tradition, this UNESCO-recognized celebration is deeply rooted in Kyoto’s cultural heritage and is still a vibrant part of the city’s spirit today.
Festival Highlights
Yamaboko Junko (Grand Float Parades)
- Dates:
- July 17 (9:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
- July 24 (9:30 AM – 11:50 AM)
- Location: Shijo-Karasuma and Karasuma-Oike areas
- Floats:
- July 17: 23 floats
- July 24: 11 floats
- Includes hoko floats up to 25 meters tall, weighing up to 12 tons, adorned with Kyoto’s Nishijin textiles
- Experience: Traditional music, performers in festival attire, street purification rituals
Mikoshi Togyo (Portable Shrine Processions)
- Dates:
- July 17 and July 24 (Start at 6:00 PM)
- Volunteers carry three sacred mikoshi (portable shrines) from Yasaka Shrine to a temporary resting place in downtown Kyoto, and back again a week later — symbolizing the movement of deities and spiritual protection for the city.
Yoiyama Nights (Evening Celebrations)
- Dates:
- July 14–16 (before the first parade)
- July 21–23 (before the second parade)
- Time: 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Experience: Streets closed to traffic and filled with food stalls, lanterns, and yukata-clad visitors. View the elaborately decorated floats up close, enjoy local street food like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakitori, and admire heirlooms on display in historic machiya houses.
Note: Entry is free for Gion Matsuri.
Historical Background
The Gion Matsuri began in 869 AD, originally as a religious ceremony to appease the gods during an epidemic. Today, it remains a spiritual and cultural keystone for Kyoto, especially for Yasaka Shrine, which oversees the festival’s sacred rites. Each year, a young boy is selected as the divine messenger (chigo). From July 13 to 17, he rides atop one of the floats without ever touching the ground — a symbolic act of purity and protection. While the festival bears the name “Gion”, most of the main events take place outside the Gion district, centered instead around Shijo and Karasuma Streets, across the Kamo River.
Access
By Train:
- 5-minute walk from Keihan Gion Shijo Station
- 8-minute walk from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station
By Bus:
- Near the Kyoto City Bus Route 206 stop
By Car:
- Approximately 15-minute drive from JR Kyoto Station
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