Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) – Kyoto, Japan

Where: Kyoto, Japan from the Imperial Palace to the Heian Shrine.

When: October 22, annually. The parade starts at noon at the Imperial Palace and ends at roughly 2:30 p.m. at the Heian Shrine.

Where To Stay: Kyoto Hotels

Cost: There is some paid seating for 2000 yen and can be purchased at the information center at the Kyoto Station.

Each year, Kyoto honors Japanese history with the Jidai Matsuri, which means “Festival of the Ages.”

Roughly two thousand people (as well as horses and oxen) participate in the two hour parade that works its way 5 kilometers from the Imperial Palaze to the Heian Shrine, dressed in costumes that depict every age in Japanese history including the following periods: Meiji Restoration, Edo, Azuchi-Momoyama, Muromachi, Kamakura, and Heian.

The Jidai Matsuri festival dates back to 1895 to pay homage to Kyoto’s rich history and traditions. Costumes include those of the military heroes, aristocrats, nobility, samarai, and everyday people.

The last grouping of parade participants carry portable shrines in honor of the first and last of Kyoto’s emperors.

Flash photographer is discouraged, so as to not frighten the animals.

Click here for more information on the Jidai Matsuri Festival in Kyoto, Japan.