1220 years ago, on October 22, the Emperor Kanmu established a new capital, Heian-kyō, the today’s Kyoto. The Heian Shrine, which enshrines the spirit of Emperor Kanmu, was established at the 1100 anniversary and on that occasion, was held a procession with costumes representing various eras of the history of Kyoto.

The procession was the beginning of one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan, the Kyoto Jidai Matsuri, which is today one of the three largest festivals of Kyoto. The parade stretches for several kilometers, having more than 2000 participants, all dressed in historically accurate costumes covering every historical period, from Heian (794 to 1185) to Meiji (1868 to 1912).

Kyoto Jidai Matsuri parade, Kyoto

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese modern architecture, Canal City Hakata