Awata Matsuri 2026

Why You Should Visit

The largest festival of Awata Shrine in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward, held each October with a thousand years of history behind it. It opens with the Oide-matsuri, and on the eve the Yowatari-shinji sends the Awata Daitoro — giant lantern floats revived in 2008 — through the streets. During the Shinko-sai and Kanko-sai, kenboko halberds 7 to 8 metres long and weighing 40 to 60 kg are carried by a single bearer each to purify the route ahead of the portable shrine. In the Muromachi period, when the Gion Matsuri could not be held, this festival is said to have taken its place.

Essentials

location: Awata Shrine and the surrounding parish area (procession)
period: October 10, 2026 (Sat) - October 15, 2026 (Thu)
Time: Oct 10, around 17:30 Oide-matsuri / Oct 11, from 17:00 Yowatari-shinji procession / Oct 12, from 10:00 Shinko-sai procession and Kanko-sai around 16:00 (once the procession returns) / Oct 15, from 11:00 Reitaisai
cost: Free to watch
Links: Official Website
Kobe · Gluten-free
access: About 7 minutes' walk east from Higashiyama Station on the Tozai subway line, or 7 minutes west from Keage Station. About 5 minutes' walk from the Jingu-michi city bus stop.
TAGS

出典: 粟田神社公式サイト（年中行事・粟田祭）

FAQ

Is there a fee to watch?

Watching from the roadside is free, and the shrine grounds are open to visitors.

When do the giant lanterns appear?

They process during the Yowatari-shinji on October 11, setting off around 17:00 — the lanterns look best once it gets dark.

Where does the procession go?

It leaves Awata Shrine and circles the parish area. The route and timing change from year to year, so check the shrine's notices for the day.

Calendar

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