Jidai-matsuri 時代祭り

“festival of the ages”

In celebration of the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of the capital and in commemoration of the emperor Kammu, the citizen of Kyôto City established the Heian-jingû shrine in 1895. At the same time it was decided to annualy celebrate October 22 (date of moving the capital to Kyôto) with a grand festival. The highlight of this festival is a procession of colorful and varied costumes of the nobility as well as ordinary people, representing various ages during the passage of more than ten centuries. Thus the name “Festival of the Ages”.