Jidai Matsuri = Heian Shrine's yearly Festival of the Ages, historical parade of reenactors, in Kyoto, Japan — Oct. 22, 2024.

Jidai Matsuri is Heian Shrine's "Festival of the Ages" — an elaborate parade of historically-costumed reenactors, held yearly starting at noon on October 22, Kyoto's birthday in 794 CE. This impressive cavalcade marches from Kyoto's old Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. The 2-kilometer-long procession of historically-dressed volunteers represent Japanese cultural history from the Meiji era back to the 780s Enryaku era. The fabulous garments of this marching living-history museum are all painstakingly researched and recreated — made and dyed with thousand-year-old techniques. The reenactors portray famous historical figures, princesses, warriors, priests, politicians, merchants, and commoners. Previously located in Nara city, Japan's capital was relocated to Heian-kyō, now known as Kyoto, from 794–1868. Kyoto Imperial Palace hosted Japan's imperial family from the 1300s to 1800s. Both Heian Shrine and its Jidai Matsuri festival were established in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto and to promote a city-wide revival — amidst a period of concern for Kyoto’s future after the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868, along with the Emperor, the imperial family, and most of the government. The Festival of the Ages is both a celebration of Kyoto’s history and traditional arts and also a ritual to honor Emperors Kammu and Komei (the first and last emperors to reign from Kyoto), whose spirits are honored at Heian Shrine. I photographed the complete 1.5-hour parade twice on the same day in 2024 — first at the parade's first curve, then second at Heian Shrine’s torii gate, 5 kilometers away along the parade's route, reached by public bus.

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Contained in galleries: 2024 Oct: JAPAN all, Kyoto parade: Jidai Matsuri 2024

Jidai Matsuri is Heian Shrine's "Festival of the Ages" — an elaborate parade of historically-costumed reenactors, held yearly starting at noon on October 22, Kyoto's birthday in 794 CE. This impressive cavalcade marches from Kyoto's old Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. The 2-kilometer-long procession of historically-dressed volunteers represent Japanese cultural history from the Meiji era back to the 780s Enryaku era. The fabulous garments of this marching living-history museum are all painstakingly researched and recreated — made and dyed with thousand-year-old techniques. The reenactors portray famous historical figures, princesses, warriors, priests, politicians, merchants, and commoners. Previously located in Nara city, Japan's capital was relocated to Heian-kyō, now known as Kyoto, from 794–1868. Kyoto Imperial Palace hosted Japan's imperial family from the 1300s to 1800s. Both Heian Shrine and its Jidai Matsuri festival were established in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto and to promote a city-wide revival — amidst a period of concern for Kyoto’s future after the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868, along with the Emperor, the imperial family, and most of the government. The Festival of the Ages is both a celebration of Kyoto’s history and traditional arts and also a ritual to honor Emperors Kammu and Komei (the first and last emperors to reign from Kyoto), whose spirits are honored at Heian Shrine. I photographed the complete 1.5-hour parade twice on the same day in 2024 — first at the parade's first curve, then second at Heian Shrine’s torii gate, 5 kilometers away along the parade's route, reached by public bus.