Aoi MatsuriThe Aoi Matsuri (葵祭) is celebrated on May and is one of the three main annual festivals held in Kyoto, Japan. Aoi Matsuri dates back to the 7th century. It became very popular in the Middle Ages, as a festival to top all others. During the festival, emissaries leave the Kyoto Imperial Palace and proceed to Shimogamo Shrine (下鴨神社 Shimo-gamo-jinja) and then to Kamigamo Shrine (上賀茂神社 Kami-gamo-jinja), two shrines in the north of the city. Participants wear costumes of the Heian period.
Gion MatsuriThe Gion Festival (祇園祭 Gion Matsuri) takes place annually in Kyoto and is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. It spans the entire month of July and is crowned by a parade, the Yamaboko Junkō (山鉾巡行) on July 17. This festival originated as part of a purification ritual (goryo-e) to appease the gods thought to cause fire, floods and earthquakes. In 869, the people were suffering from plague and pestilence which was attributed to the rampaging deity Gozu Tennō. Emperor Seiwa ordered that the people pray to the god of the Yasaka Shrine.
Jidai MatsuriThe Jidai Matsuri (時代祭) is one of Kyoto's renowned three great festivals.The festival commemorates the transfer of the capital to Kyoto in 794, the 1,100 years that it remained the capital(until it was moved to Tokyo in 1868), and the finishing of the Heian Jingu Shrine where the procession ends. It was first held in 1895.
SanjūsangendōSanjūsangendō (三十三間堂, Sanjūsangendō) is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama District of Kyoto. A popular archery tournament known as Tōshiya (通し矢) is also held here on the same grounds since the Edo period.
