Introduce Kyoto to Foreigners !!!
Starting with Prince Kazunomiya (the younger sister of Emperor Komei), the procession includes a woman of accomplished paintings and traditional Japanese paintings, Yoshino Tayu (a famous geisha from Kyoto), and Izumo Akuni , who performed “Yayako Odori” and “Kabuki Odori” in Kyoto and is considered the founder of Kabuki.
The Tokugawa Shogunate always sent castle envoys to the capital in the name of the Shogun on occasions such as grand ceremonies and New Year’s festivals, to extend courtesy to the imperial family.
The procession was a grand and luxurious one, and the envoys were chosen from the feudal clans of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The spear-bearers, umbrella-bearers, and scissors-bearers leading the procession call out to the crowd, and their movements are a reminder of how the procession looked in those days.
Kogoro Katsura (Kido Takayoshi), Kichinosuke Saigo (Takamori), Ryoma Sakamoto, Shintaro Nakaoka, Shinsaku Takasugi, Torataro Yoshimura, and other intellectual class warriors at the end of the Edo period. In addition, other court nobles of the time also joined the procession, such as the line of seven court nobles who tried to influence the Emperor to oppose the Shogunate.
At the time of the Meiji Restoration, when the shogunate vassals rebelled in the Tohoku region, This is a model of the costume they wore at that time.
The emperors used to live in Kyoto for many centuries since 794, the year of capital foundation in Kyoto. It was 1868 when the emperor moved the capital to Tokyo. People in Kyoto needed to create the Jidai Festival to revitalize the city.
Heian Shrine was built in 1895 in commemoration of the 1,100th anniversary of founding the capital in Kyoto. It is dedicated to two emperors: Kanmu, the first emperor of Kyoto, and Komei, the last emperor of Kyoto.
On October 22, Kyoto celebrate the Jidai Matsuri Festival, one the Three Big Festivals of Kyoto. At 12:00 noon, the festival procession starts the Old Imperial Park and arrives at Heian Shrine at 14:30.
Just like the other two festivals, the Jidai Festival shows a long procession in the center of Kyoto City. It’s a 2-kilometer-long parade composed of 2,000 people dressed in the old costumes from different eras (Jidai) in Japanese history.
Weather will be nice. Let’s go to see it!
Kasagake is an ancient Japanese archery event that appears in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan). There are two types of kasagake: tokasagake, in which the archer shoots at a 40-centimeter square target about 5 meters away from the horse, and kokasagake, in which the archer shoots at a 10-centimeter square target set up low on the ground. Female archers also ride on horseback. There will be seats for spectators and English commentary will be provided.
To get to Tofukuji Temple, you can take the Keihan Railway, JR or Kyoto City Bus. For the route from Kyoto Station, transfer to the JR Nara Line and get off at Tofukuji Station. It takes about 10 minutes on foot from the station.
About 2,000 maple trees are planted in the precincts of Tofukuji Temple, and the sight of them all changing colors at the same time is fantastically beautiful. Especially, Tsutenkyo Bridge is the most famous spot in Tofukuji Temple where you can appreciate the autumn leaves while crossing the tasteful wooden bridge. It is like walking through a cloud of red leaves, and the temple is usually crowded with visitors every year to enjoy the spectacular view that can only be experienced at Tofuku-ji Temple.
The Sanmon Gate of Tofukuji Temple was built in 1405 (Oei 12) in the middle of the Muromachi period (1333-1573). There are three types of architectural styles: the traditional Japanese style, the Zen Buddhist style from the early Kamakura period, and the Daibutsu style also found in Todaiji Temple.
