Kyoto Festival of the Ages: Jidai Matsuri 時代祭

Japanese history festival in Kyoto known as Jidai Matsuri is held every October 22nd. The festival traces the history of Kyoto as the capital of Japan from the end (1868) to the beginning (794). Jidai Matsuri is one of the three big festivals of Kyoto (the others being Gion and Aoi Matsuri).

2000 people in historical costumes of the different eras leave from Gosho the old Imperial Palace and precede to Heian Jingu Shrine. The festival dates back to 1895 when they celebrated Kyoto's 1100th Anniversary. Two Emperors are venerated in the festival: Kammu and Komei, the first and last Emperors of Japan.

Kammu relocated the capital from Nara in 794 (after a brief stint in Nagaoka-kyo). Komei's son Meiji relocated the capital in 1868 to Edo which was renamed Tokyo (Eastern Capital).

#japan #history #festival

0:00 Parade Beginning
0:34 Bakamatsu Era 1853-1867
2:56 Edo Era 1603-1867
6:55 Edo Era Ladies
7:57 Azuchi-Momoyama Era 1568-1603
9:04 Oda Nobunaga
11:39 Muromachi Era 1336-1573
14:19 Folk Customs of Muromachi Era
16:42 Kusunoki Masashige
18:54 Ladies of the Middle Ages 1180-1600
20:07 Yabusame Archers of Kamakura Era 1192-1333
21:20 Heian Era Fujiwara Nobles 794-1185
22:17 Heian Era Ladies
24:26 Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
26:32 Enryaku Era Nobles 782-806
27:19 Offerings to the Shrine
27:57 Procession Preceding Omikoshi
29:41 Omikoshi Procession
32:01 Shirakawa Flower Women
32:22 Tamba Archers
33:13 Heian Jingu Shrine Arrival