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Cherry blossom season, Gion Matsuri and the Awa Odori dance festival
Japan's live events calendar is one of the most extraordinary in the world — cherry blossom season transforms the entire country every spring, the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto is Japan's most famous festival, the Awa Odori in Tokushima is the world's largest dance festival, and the Sapporo Snow Festival creates extraordinary ice sculptures every February.
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Gion Matsuri — Kyoto
Japan's most famous festival — a month of celebrations culminating in a magnificent float parade
Gion Matsuri is Japan's most famous festival — a month-long celebration held every July in Kyoto, centred on the Yasaka Shrine in the Gion district. The festival dates back to 869 AD, when it was held to appease the gods during a plague. The highlight is the Yamaboko Junko — the grand float parade held on 17 July — in which 23 enormous decorated floats (yama and hoko), some reaching 25 metres in height and weighing 12 tonnes, are pulled through the streets of central Kyoto by teams of men in traditional dress. The floats are decorated with extraordinary tapestries, lacquerwork, and metalwork — some dating back to the 16th century. The evenings of 14–16 July (Yoiyama) fill the streets of Gion with food stalls, yukata-clad revellers, and the haunting sound of the Gion hayashi music.
Event Highlights
- Japan's most famous festival — dating back to 869 AD
- The Yamaboko Junko float parade — 23 enormous decorated floats
- Floats up to 25 metres high and 12 tonnes — some with 16th-century tapestries
- Yoiyama evenings — food stalls and yukata-clad revellers in the Gion streets
- The haunting Gion hayashi music
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
What to Do There
- Watch the Yamaboko Junko float parade
- Explore the Yoiyama evening street festival
- Visit the Yasaka Shrine
- Wear a yukata and join the crowds
- See the float exhibitions in the days before the parade
Event Info
Next Event
Throughout July — main parade on 17 July
Location
Gion district, Kyoto, Japan
Duration
1 month (main events 14–17 July)
Ticket Price
Free to watch; grandstand seats from JPY 2,000
Travel Tips
- ·Fly direct from London to Osaka (12 hours) — 15 minutes from Kyoto by Shinkansen
- ·Book accommodation 6 months in advance — Kyoto fills completely
- ·The parade route is central Kyoto — arrive early for a good viewing spot
- ·Combine with Tokyo, Osaka, and Mount Fuji for a classic Japan trip
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