👣FESTIVAL OF AGES⛩️
October 22nd is a busy day for festivals in Kyōto. Up in the mountains Kurama village is readying to light 250 giant pine torches, while down in the city a parade featuring figures from 1000 years of Kyōto's history will soon be underway.
The Jidai Matsuri (時代祭 'Festival of the Ages') is 1 of Kyōto's '3 Great Festivals', along with the Aoi Matsuri (葵祭) in May and the Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) in July.
#Kyoto #京都 #時代祭 #JidaiMatsuri #Japan #autumnfestival #FestivaloftheAges
After the shock of losing both the emperor and its status of capital in 1868, Kyōto embarked on a series of prestige projects to help revive trade, tourism and its damaged ego.
Heian Jingū, the Lake Biwa Canal, the geisha dances and the Jidai Matsuri were all born at this time.
#Kyoto #京都 #Japan #JidaiMatsuri #HeianJingu #MiyakoOdori #springdances #maiko #geisha
Commemorating the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heian-kyō (平安京), the first Jidai Matsuri celebration in 1895 coincided with the opening of Heian Shrine (平安神宮), which enshrined the spirit of Kyoto's 'first' emperor, Kanmu (桓武天皇-Emperor Kōmei was added in 1940).
The festival begins in the morning with 2 sacred palanquins, carrying the spirits of emperors Kanmu and Kōmei, brought to the imperial palace so people can pay their respects.
It's from the palace that a parade of 2000 performers sets out on a 2km route that ends at Heian Jingū.
The performers are dressed in authentic costumes that cover 1000 years of Kyōto's history, and its most prominent figures.
It takes 5 hours for the parade to weave its way from palace to shrine. The mikoshi, accompanied by military band, come last.
The Jidai Matsuri (時代祭) is no mere costume parade.
Outfits were meticulously researched and many were recreated using techniques now hundreds of years old.
The festival is a good chance to get up and close to historical clothing spanning a millennium.
a dragonfly
dressed in a red
festival robe
御祭の赤い出立の蜻蛉哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶 1763-1828).
Trans. Chris Drake.
#jidaimatsuri #時代祭 #Kyoto #京都 #Japan #autumn #festival #festivaloftheages #平安神宮 #heianjingu #okazaki
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