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Festivals & Events

Festivals & Events
Gion Matsuri Festival

Kyoto holds many cultural, artistic, and nature-related events throughout the year.
See which ones you will have a chance to experience during your upcoming trip.

*Please note that the displayed dates indicate only the start and the end date of an event. There may be days within that period when the event is not held. Please visit the official website linked below each entry for further details and latest information.

Featured Events

Exhibition: Children Who Grew Up with Manga– 40 Years of Manga in Europe

Exhibition: Children Who Grew Up with Manga– 40 Years of Manga in Europe

17 Sep 2026 – 19 Jan 2027

Art / Music / Theater

Venue: Kyoto International Manga Museum, 2nd Floor, Galleries 1, 2 & 3

Masterpieces by the Successive Generations of the Raku Family: A Symphony of Chrysanthemums
Second-generation Jōkei (birth year unknown - 1635): Chrysanthemum-patterned red Raku tea bowl

Masterpieces by the Successive Generations of the Raku Family: A Symphony of Chrysanthemums

01 Sep – 24 Dec 2026

Art / Music / Theater

Venue: Raku Museum

“Zen and Ghibli” Kyoto Exhibition
Title Written by Toshio Suzuki © Kanyada

“Zen and Ghibli” Kyoto Exhibition

03 Oct – 06 Dec 2026

Art / Music / Theater

Venue: Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (Higashiyama Cube)

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KYOTO EXPERIMENT Kyoto International Performing Arts Festival 2026
Main visual © Aiko Koike

KYOTO EXPERIMENT Kyoto International Performing Arts Festival 2026

03 Oct - 25 Oct 2026

Art / Music / Theater

Venue: ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Kyoto Art Center, Kyoto Art Theater (Shunjuza / studio21), and others.

Kyoto Station Building Art Festival: The Station of Art 2026 / GNE

Kyoto Station Building Art Festival: The Station of Art 2026 / GNE

17 Oct - 03 Nov 2026

Cuisine / Markets / Other

Venue: Kyoto Station Building, Ninna-ji, Keishun-in, and Higashi Hongan-ji Temples, as well as other venues

Main Events

Aoi Matsuri Festival

Aoi Matsuri Festival

May 15

A long-held procession from Kyoto Imperial Palace to two historic shrines, with 500 people in courtly Heian attire.

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Gion Matsuri Festival

Gion Matsuri Festival

July 1-31

One of the three greatest festivals of Japan, when downtown Kyoto is lively with lavishly decorated festival floats.

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Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Bonfires

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Bonfires

August 16

Five mountains around Kyoto are lit up with bonfires as a send-off for ancestral spirits who visit during Obon.

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Jidai Matsuri Festival

Jidai Matsuri Festival

October 22

This parade of roughly 2,000 participants dressed in period garb representing over 1,000 years of Kyoto’s history.

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Seasonal Events

Visitor using a sun umbrella at Kiyomizudera in Kyoto
How to Enjoy Kyoto in Summer: A Local’s Tips
Cultural Sites Morning Tourism Night Tourism
Scavenger Hunt for Cooling Treats
Heatstroke Prevention Campaign During Summer in Kyoto
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Kyoto Summer Special Openings 2026
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Gion Matsuri Festival Float Procession 2026 Sales Information: Parade Viewing Seats
Festivals & Events
Noryo Yuka / Kawadoko: Summer Riverside Dining
Activities Food & Drink
Gozan Okuribi(bonfires)
Festivals & Events Night Tourism
Riverside Dining in Takao
Areas Food & Drink Nature & Outdoors
Natural Experiences and Delicacies in Keihoku
Areas Cultural Sites Nature & Outdoors
Keihoku in Spring
Areas Cultural Sites Nature & Outdoors
Harvest Seasonal Vegetables in an Illuminated Night Field – BNR Farm
Activities Areas Night Tourism
Gion Matsuri Festival
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What is Tanabata?
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Nagoshi no Harae (Summer Purification Rites)
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Seasonal Information

No matter what time of year you visit, special experiences await.

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