Calendar / Yasaka-jinja Shrine / Gion Matsuri Yamaboko Rengokai
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Yasaka-jinja Shrine / Gion Matsuri Yamaboko Rengokai
Jul 17–24, 2026Expected
Run by Yasaka-jinja Shrine / Gion Matsuri Yamaboko Rengokai, with published dates and a real program.
Dates & details verified against: National tourism board ↗
Why go
Gion Matsuri is Japan's biggest festival and one of its oldest continuous rituals, held by Yasaka Shrine since 869 and filling the whole of July: the yamaboko floats, up to 25 meters tall and twelve tons, dressed in centuries-old textiles and inscribed by UNESCO as intangible heritage, are hauled through central Kyoto in two full processions, the Saki Matsuri on July 17 with 23 floats and the Ato Matsuri on July 24 with eleven. The Yoiyama evenings before each parade close the streets into a lantern-lit float-viewing night market, which is when the festival belongs to everyone. The float federation runs the processions and the shrine runs the rites, a division of labor older than most countries.
When it runs
Spans July, with the grand processions on July 17 and 24.
- Jul 17–24, 2026Expected
- Jul 17–24, 2027Expected
- Jul 17–24, 2028Expected
Dates read confirmed where the organizer has published them, and expected where we've projected the recurrence. Always verify with the organizer before booking.
What to expect
The festival spans all of July, with the Yoiyama street evenings on July 14-16 and 21-23 and the parades on July 17 and 24. Kyoto in July is hot and humid; paid parade seating exists for those who want shade and certainty. Book lodging months ahead.
Getting there & around
Kyoto is 2.5 hours from Tokyo or 15 minutes from Osaka by shinkansen. The processions run through the central grid around Shijo and Karasuma; stake out corners early, where the floats are turned by hand on split bamboo.
Where it happens
Kyoto, Japan.
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