Sagano Scenic Railway Autumn Illumination: “Fantasy Train of Light”
24 Oct – 29 Dec 2026
Special Openings Venue: The illumination is held between Torokko Arashiyama, and Torokko Kameoka Stations.
Things to Do
Festivals & Events
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
Special Openings 
Masterpieces by the Successive Generations of the Raku Family: A Symphony of Chrysanthemums
01 Sep – 24 Dec 2026
Art / Music / Theater Venue: Raku Museum
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.
Pottery Festival
21 Nov – 29 Nov 2026
Cuisine / Markets / Other Venue: The area around the Sennyu-ji pottery kilns (from Tofuku-ji to Sennyu-ji)
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
“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 Pottery Expo 2026
16 Oct - 18 Oct 2026
Cuisine / Markets / Other Venue: Shimizu-yaki Pottery Industrial Park area
Main Events
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
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
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
October 22
This parade of roughly 2,000 participants dressed in period garb representing over 1,000 years of Kyoto’s history.
Read moreSeasonal Events
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Seasonal Information
No matter what time of year you visit, special experiences await.
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