Kyoto Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages)
On October 22nd every year a huge spectacular procession winds its way through the streets of Kyoto. Over 2000 people, as well as numerous horses and a few oxen, march from Kyoto's Imperial Palace along a 4.5km path to the Heian Shrine. These 2000 or so people are all decked out in traditional garb from colorful periods of Japanese history. While there are festivals like this held throughout Japan there are none to compare to this one. It is the biggest and most famous festival of its kind and somehow the English name for the festival is more dramatic than the Japanese. In Japanese it is called Jidai Matsuri which literally translates as Period Festival but in English it is known as the Festival of the Ages.
This magnificent festival was first held in 1895 although it was a much smaller affair back then. At the first festival the parade consisted of just 6 sections but that has grown progressively larger over the last few years and now boasts of over 2000 costumed citizens taking to the streets to illustrate Japan's, and specifically Kyoto's, grand history.
Kyoto's Jidai Matsuri is not just a bunch of people dressed up in period costumes but, in fact, it is a highly structured, highly organized event with a painstaking amount of attention paid to details. The schedule is as precise as a rush hour train in Tokyo and the parade proceeds in reverse chronological order from the Meiji Era (1868-1912) to the Heian Era (794-1185). The clothes have been meticulously recreated and serve as a history lesson as well as being beautiful to look at. The colors of the costumes are stunning and faithful to their respective periods.
Not only are the clothes faithful to the times they represented but the footwear and even the hairstyles are reproduced to great effect. And while in some cases it was obvious that wigs are being worn, the footwear looked like it had been recently created from straw by hand using traditional methods.
And it is certainly not just about historical fashion; you will also see a wide range of deadly weapons including the traditional Japanese style bows and arrows of the yabusame (horseback archers) to incredibly long handled samurai swords to the rifles of the more modern Meiji Era. There is a wide age-range participating in this event, some of whom appear to be of retirement age while others appear to be mere boys. It is hard not to ponder that today's fresh faced college students would have been hardened warriors back then though.
Origin of the Jidai Matsuri
On October 22nd, 794 Emperor Kammu entered Kyoto, which was then known as Heian-kyo, and established it as Japan's capital which it remained almost without interruption for more than one thousand years. In 1895, after the capital was moved to Tokyo, the Heian Jingu shrine was built and the first Jidai Matsuri was held. It was a relatively small affair back then but it grew steadily over the years, with a small break during the post-World War II recovery period, into the huge prestigious festival of today. In fact, a smaller modified version of the Jidai Matsuri was once even held in Paris to much fanfare. Can you imagine those samurai warriors marching along the Champs Elysees? It must have been a wondrous sight.
Along with the Gion Matsuri and the Aoi Matsuri, the Jidai Matsuri is one of the three big festivals held each year in Kyoto, all of which attract hordes of sightseers. Despite the popularity of this festival and the massive influx of snap-happy tourists, the wide streets and open parks of Kyoto make it make it much more accessible and easier to enjoy than similar festivals in Tokyo. The weather too, plays an important role in the enjoyment of the Jidai Matsuri. Kyoto is renowned for its extreme temperatures. Some claim that due to Kyoto's location in a natural basin, their summer is the hottest in Japan and their winter the coldest. At the end of October though, the last of the summer heat is fading and the winter chill has yet to set in. In other words, it is the perfect time for a festival.
Watching the parade
The parade kicks off from Kyoto Imperial Palace at 12:00pm on the dot but if you show up a bit early you can see the participants coming in early to prepare themselves.
If you want to sit in the prime reserved area it is also advisable to arrive early to get the best seats.
If you are not one for sitting around waiting for the action though there are plenty of good viewing spots along the route. Give yourself at least 2 hours to see the entire parade. When the parade is drawing to a close near the Heian Jingu the sight of horse mounted samurai slowly and elegantly walking along the wide tree-lined boulevard and under the giant red torii is an unforgettable image.
After the festival
Kyoto is, without a doubt, the most historical city in Japan and with 17 World Heritage sites resulting in it being been declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO. So when the festival is over and the city has returned to normal there is still plenty to do. Besides the Imperial Palace where the Jidai Matsuri commences and the Heian Jingu where it finishes up, there is Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and Kiyomizu-dera which are Kyoto's most well-known tourist attractions. And if that is not enough, there are literally hundreds of historical sites both on and off the beaten track just waiting for your visit. And if you want to avoid the crowds that come to view the autumn leaves in the coming weeks then this is the perfect time to check them out.
Let's eat
A trip to Kyoto wouldn't be complete without indulging in some of the local cuisine. The people of Kyoto are very proud of their cooking and claim that even the cup noodles taste better than those from other regions of Japan. And before you leave Kyoto be sure to pick up some of their famous yatsuhashi, it is a delicious rice-based soft snack and comes in a variety of flavors. If you don't end up eating them all yourself they make great gifts for your friends and family back home.
