Next: 17 Jul to 16 Aug 2027
Gion Matsuri
Kyoto's month-long festival of towering floats, with the great parade of Yamaboko on 17 July.
When is Gion Matsuri in 2027?
Gion Matsuri 2027 runs from 17 July to 16 August 2027. Other years: 2026, 17 July to 16 August 2026; 2028, 17 July to 16 August 2028.
About Gion Matsuri
Gion Matsuri is the festival of the Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto and lasts the whole of July. It started in 869 as a rite to appease the spirits blamed for an epidemic. Its heart is the Yamaboko Junko, a procession of thirty-three floats, called yama and hoko, some 25 metres tall and weighing several tonnes, hauled through the streets by teams of men, with musicians on board playing flutes, drums and bells in a tune called Gion bayashi. For the three evenings before the parade, the streets are closed to traffic and the old merchant houses open their screens to show treasured heirlooms. Visitors wear yukata, and street stalls sell food and charms. UNESCO has listed the festival.
Gion Matsuri dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Gion Matsuri date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 17 July to 16 August 2026 |
| 2027 | 17 July to 16 August 2027 |
| 2028 | 17 July to 16 August 2028 |
What is eaten
- chimaki
- cucumber
- yakitori
Also part of it, and being written: Yamaboko (The float parade.), Yasaka Shrine (The shrine of the festival.), Yukata (The cotton summer kimono.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Gion Matsuri" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.