Japan's Biggest Festival - The Gion Matsuri In Kyoto
- Ollie Toth
- Apr 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 10
A complete guide to Japan's biggest festival, the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto
Image Copyright: Ollie Ronin
Table of Contents
Overview
The Gion Matsuri (Gion Festival) is the largest festival in Japan and occurs every year during the month of July, specifically on the 17th and 24th of July when massive floats are carried through the streets of downtown Kyoto. From a foreign tourist perspective, it's one of the most underrated attractions in the country, and worth as much attention as the famous cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. The main streets are closed off and transformed into a huge party celebrating the floats, complete with food stalls, pop-up bars, and music. It's an awesome experience and well worth planning your trip around. It's worth noting, however, that accommodation usually gets booked out pretty quickly, so you'll need to book early. Check booking.com for the cheapest rates, you can also read our comprehensive guide showcasing the best hotels in downtown Kyoto.
The floats, known as yamaboko, are all handmade, elaborately decorated, weighing up to 12 tonnes and reaching up to 25 meters high. They're pulled along by huge teams of men wearing traditional clothing, it's a lot of hard work and a dramatic sight to see in the summer heat. This spectacle becomes especially impressive when they need to maneuver the floats around a corner, so the street corners tend to be the most popular places for viewing the parade. The parade typically starts at 9am and finishes at 1pm.
Image Copyright: Ollie Ronin
One of the most enjoyable parts of the festival are the street parties, known as yoiyama, which are held for 3 nights prior to each parade. This is where the streets are closed off and filled with food stalls, lanterns, and pop-up bars, while the massive floats are put on display and carried around for visitors to enjoy. There's a wide range of festival food to enjoy, including amazing shaved ice carved from a huge ice block right before your eyes, which is perfect for the summer heat. The atmosphere here at night is amazing and full of energy, everyone's having a great time, and it's common for men and women to wear beautiful cotton yukata robes. All the elements - the lanterns, floats, food stalls, music - all come together to create a truly unique atmosphere.
Location & Access
Image Source: Japanistry.com
The main celebrations of the festival, including the food stalls and parades, take place in downtown Kyoto and are centred around Shijo, Kawaramachi, and Oike streets. Although it's very busy, it's quite easy to find a spot to watch the parade and soak in the atmosphere. The parade on the 17th is the largest and features about 20 floats, while the parade on the 24th features about 10 floats. Along with the parade, the yoiyama nighttime festivities are also larger for the main event on the 17th. While the event on the 24th is smaller, it tends to be less crowded which is more preferable for some people.
Main Yoiyama Street Parties
6pm - 11pm
14th, 15th, and 16th July
Main Float Parade
9am - 1pm
17th July
Secondary Yoiyama Street Parties
6pm - 11pm
21st, 22nd, and 23rd July
Secondary Float Parade
9:30am - 1pm
24th July
📍 Location
Downtown Kyoto (Google Maps)
💴 Price
Free
Interesting Facts & History
Image Copyright: Ollie Ronin
The festival originated in 869 and was held for people to pray for relief from a plague that was spreading through the city.
While the parades and street parties are the main highlights, the festival actually lasts the entire month of July and includes a variety of rituals and small events.
Every year a local boy is chosen to ride the lead float, and for the 7 days leading up to the parade, his feet are never allowed to touch the ground. He's considered a divine messenger to the gods and performs a variety of rituals, including cutting a sacred rope to start the parade.
The night before the parade, many local families and shopkeepers display their private collection of beautiful folding screens known as byobu.
The festival has its own distinctive music, known as the Gion Bayashi, played by musicians riding on the floats, using flutes, gongs, and drums. Each float has a slightly different musical tradition.
The festival has been largely uninterrupted throughout its 1200-year history. Notable exceptions include the Onin War in the 15th century, World War II, and the recent COVID pandemic in 2020.
