Best Events And Festivals (Omatsuri) In Kyoto

Feel Coolness By The Senses At Wind-bell Festival Of Shoju-in TempleShoju-in Temple

Shoju-in Temple has a wind-bell (Furin) festival every summer. There're many wind-bells in the precinct and they make refreshing sounds all around. You can also enjoy finding the different patterns of 47 prefectures in Japan, and painting on wind-bells!◎Wind-bell Festival 7/1~9/18 in 2017

Three Great Festivals of Japan, Gion Festival in KyotoGion Matsuri Festival

The Gion Festival in Kyoto, which has continued since the Heian period, is a big festival that takes place over a period of one month from July 1st to 31st. It is very spectacular to walk around. The Yamahoko cruise is also registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Illumination of Autumn Leaves Representing KyotoKiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu-dera is one of the most famous spots for autumn leaves in Kyoto. I visited several places to light up the autumn leaves, but this place is a spot for autumn leaves that can only be said to be true.

More Than 1400 Years History! Aoi Matsuri Festival, One Of The Three Biggest Festivals In KyotoKamigamo Shrine

It's one of the three most famous festivals and said to be the oldest one in Kyoto. The parade of Saiou-dai (a queen) and 500 people is fascinating, elegant and gorgeous! It's called 'Aoi (hollyhock) Festival' because of the decorations of hollyhock leaves everywhere of the parade.◎Date: on May 15th every year. The parade leave Kyoto Imperial Garden, pass through Shimogamo Shrine and arrive at Kamigamo Shrine. People in elegant royal dresses march as long as 8km.

Dipping Rite Begun Here! Mitarashi Festival Praying For A Perfect State Of HealthKonoshima nimasu amateru mitama Shrine

As for Mitarashi Festival, Shimogamo Shrine is well known, but Konoshima Shrine is older and the origin of it. Mototadasu Pond, usually dried up, is filled with ground water, and people pray for a perfect state of health by dipping their feet in it. Feel nice in the cool water!◎It's held on only one day of the Midsummer Day of the Ox. It's get crowded with people and street stalls. It's a small festival, but it's loved and held by the local people.

Late Summer Event 'Atago Old Street Lighting'Atago Shrine

The event has held for more than 20 years in late summer. Along the Atado old main street from Seiryo-ji Temple to Atado Shrine, big, small and various lanterns are lightened and fantastic. They light the street softly.◎8/23-8/25 every year together with memorial ceremony of Adashino-nembutsu-ji Temple. As many as 800 lanterns drawn by students of art school and the local children are impressive.

Gradation Of Red, Yellow & Green A Little Before The Best Autumn ColorsRuriko-in Temple

Anyone can take pictures of beautiful reflections at Ruriko-in Temple. It gets very crowded on weekends, but it has worth visiting once in your life. The bus is available though, the train is better.

Artistic Light Festival At A World Heritage, Shimogamo ShrineShimogamo Shrine (Kamomioya Shrine)

Light Festival in Tadasu no Mori by TeamLab is held at a world heritage site in Kyoto, Shimogamo Shrine, from 8/17 to 9/2. The room produced by the arts of light, are very mysterious.

Good Fortune By Mame-maki & Walking Around The Seven Deities! Setsubun-kai At A World Heritage SiteTenryu Temple

Here is not an ordinary Setsubun-kai, people walk around the pagodas of Zen Buddhism and gather the charms of the Seven Deities. There're many people with 'good luck bamboo grass' in their hands at the precinct. The sponsors throw roasted beans (mame-maki) and say 'in with fortune' (huku wa uchi). Let's take in lots of good fortune!

Kyo's Star Festival With Beautiful Contrast Of The Shrine & Bamboo LeavesKitano Tenman-gu Shrine

It's one of the sites of Kyo's (Kyoto's) Star Festival, which has been held eight times until this year. The bamboo leaves in the illuminated precinct are fantastic. You can enjoy quiet and cool atmosphere of summer.◎Kyo's Star Fastival is held on the lunar day of star festival. During the festival, various events are carried out at this shrine.

Phoenix Hall Reflected On The Water SurfaceByodoin Temple

Many people visit Byodoin Temple during the autumn color light-up event. The weather was perfect and there was no winds, I could see this amazing reflections of Phoenix Hall (Hou-ou-dou) on the water.◎Autumn Color Light Up in 2018: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & National Holidays during November 17th to December 2nd. You need to choose daytime or evening.

Rare Type! Oinari-san's Rare Oracle That Tells By Three LettersFushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, thousands of torii gates are well-known, has a rare type of 'omikuji' (written oracle) that tells your fortune by three letters, not by ordinally two letters. If you pick rarer '大大吉 dai-dai-kichi' than '大吉 dai-kichi', you're very lucky! By the way, '末大吉 sue-dai-kichi' in my photo is in the fifth place, haha!

The Best Time To See Now! A Weeping Plum Tree In Full Bloom At The Grand Shrine Of HoyokeJyonangu Shrine

Plum blossoms tell us that spring comes soon and now is the best time to see. Here's Jyonan-gu shrine is famous for a weeping plum tree and has paid attention these days. Hoyoke means praying for the safety of travels, moving and so on.

Until The End of September, The JR Tokai Collaboration Hanatama Tesui Is Being Held, So Please Find The Marbles Tamatemizu Shōrin-ji Temple

Shorinji-san, who always has beautiful flower water. In addition to the main flower water, there is also marble water, so please find it! This time, Hanatama Tesui, a collaboration with JR Central, is being held! There are also many Pokemon. Do you have a favorite Pokemon? In the hot summer, it hurts to float flowers without seeing them, so at this temple, it's a nice idea to decorate the flowers around instead of on the water!

The Illumination That Appears In A Movie At The Oldest Prefectural Botanical GardensKyoto Prefectural Botanical Gardens

Opened in 1926, known as the oldest prefectural botanical gardens in Japan, it cherished by people in Kyoto and also tourists. In recent years, it opens during the nights and holds illumination event. In 2016, the scene appears in Japanese movie and get into the news.

Open Only In Spring & Autumn! Beautiful Lighting For Autumn FoliageHogo-in Temple

The autumn foliage of Arashiyama. Hogon-in Temple is usually closed, but it admits you to the garden only in spring and autumn. The autumn colored trees are lightened up at night and show us the different scenes from daytime.