October

JIDAI MATSURI FESTIVAL

Date : October 22
Place : Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine
Time :  noon - 2:30p.m.
Admission Fee : free of charge except reserved seats 

The Jidai Matsuri is a festival that takes place every year on October 22, an anniversary of the foundation of Kyoto.
The highlight of this event is a large parade with 2,000 participants that travel from the Imperial Palace to the Heian Shrine.
It takes about 40 minutes by either JR or Keihan line to go from the New Otani to the centre of Kyoto.

YABUSAME

Date : October 25
Place : Osaka Tenmangu , Osaka
Time : 3:00p.m. -
Admission fee : free of charge

YABUSAME is horseback archery as done traditionally.
Archers wearing the garments of the Japanese aristocrat of 1,000 years ago shoot arrows while riding horses running at full speed.

SHIKA NO TSUNOKIRI
(Deer antler - cutting ceremony)

Date : early October
Place : Kasuga Taisha Shrine , Nara
Time : 11:30a.m. - 2:30p.m.
Admission fee : TBD

" Shika-no-Tsunokiri " is the traditional ceremony in Nara enacted since more than 300 years ago.
This ceremony is conducted in the deer enclosure along the Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
This is to prevent deer from hurting people or one another.

KASAGAKE SHINJI

Date : 3rd Sunday in October
Place : Kamigamo Shrine , Kyoto
Time : 1:00p.m. -
Admission fee : free of charge except for a special area

Kasagake Shinji features archery on horseback in the traditional fashion.
Archers wearing the garments of SAMURAI shoot arrows while riding horses running at full speed.

SAIGU GYORETSU

Date : 3rdSunday October 
Place : Nonomiya Shrine to Arashiyama  
Time : noon - 3:00p.m.
Admission fee : free of charge

Women in ancient costume parade to the Togetsu Bridge after a religious ceremony at Nonomiya Shrine.

SHITENNOJI FLEA MARKET

Date : 21st and 22nd of every month
Place : Shitennoji Temple
Time : From morning to evening
Admission fee : free of charge

Shitennoji temple is the oldest Buddhist temple, built in Japan over 1,400 years ago.
A flea market has been held on the 21st and 22nd of every month for the last 200 years.
A lot of Osaka food that you can find here, such as Takoyaki , Yakisoba , Yakitori , Okonomiyaki and many more.
A walk through the market is always an interesting experience.

KURAMA FIRE FESTIVAL

Date : October 22
lace : Yuki Shrine , Kurama Kyoto
Time : 6:00p.m. - 12.00p.m.
Admission fee : free of charge

You can watch children and adults carrying big torches along the approach to the Yuki Shrine.

KYOTO IMPERIAL PALACE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Date : end October to early November
Place : Kyoto Imperial Palace , Kyoto
Period of opening : 9:00a.m. - 3:30p.m.  (last admission)
Admission fee : free of charge

The Kyoto Imperial Palace opens to the public only on special days.
(No advance applications are required during this period.)