A time-honored autumn grand festival, with mikoshi and kenhoko traveling through Saiin
Kasuga Festival (Kyoto City)
The 2026 edition of Kasuga Festival (Kyoto City) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/10 〜 2026/10/11Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, the second Saturday and Sunday of October / Every year
- Location
- Saiin Kasuga
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 10 min–2 h 40 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/26
The Kasuga Festival, handed down at Saiin Kasuga Jinja, is an autumn festival centered on a procession of and kenhoko. The procession travels through the Saiin area, where distinctive rituals are performed, including the “Tomoe-mawari” at intersections and the “-mawari” at the shrine.
About Kasuga Festival (Kyoto City)
The Kasuga Festival is an autumn festival held at Saiin Kasuga Jinja.
It has been handed down since it was founded by enshrining a sacred spirit from Kasuga Taisha in Nara.
Two mikoshi and five kenhoko, made in the early Edo period, are carried in procession through the festival.
Source: 春日祭 | イベント一覧 | 京都府観光連盟公式サイト
Festival highlights
The highlights are the procession of the splendid two mikoshi and five kenhoko.
At the Nishioji Shijo intersection, the kenhoko clear the way, and the mikoshi circle within the intersection in the “Tomoe-mawari.”
After returning to the shrine, you can also see the “Saiin haiden-mawari,” in which the mikoshi circle the haiden three times, and the “sashiage,” in which the mikoshi are lifted.
Source: 西院春日神社｜【京都市公式】京都観光Navi
A time-honored autumn grand festival, with mikoshi and kenhoko traveling through Saiin
What to expect
The festival procession, which includes the Kinkotai military band, kenhoko, mikoshi, horses, Yaotome shrine maidens, children, and a procession of sacred treasures, travels through the Saiin area.
At the imperial lodging, Yaotome shrine maidens perform “Gozen ,” while the “Tomoe-mawari” takes place at the Nishioji Shijo intersection.
After the procession, the mikoshi return to the shrine, and the festival concludes with the customary ritual of circling the haiden three times.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Saiin Kasuga Jinja, 61 Saiin Kasuga-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
- Train and bus
Get off at Saiin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line or Keifuku Railway, or at Nishioji Shijo on a city bus; walk from there.
- Parking
No parking during the Kasuga Festival
Address 61 Saiin Kasuga-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
October 10, 2026 (Sat.) and the 11th (Sun.) were announced as the scheduled dates; the mikoshi procession took place on the 11th from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Kyoto Prefecture / Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The shrine parking lot is unavailable during the festival period.
Traffic restrictions will be in effect on nearby roads due to the procession, and notices indicate that the Nishioji Shijo intersection will be closed to traffic.
Nearby attractions
Near Saiin Kasuga Jinja, the festival venue, are attractions including Nenbutsuji Temple, Mibudera Temple, the Shinsengumi Mibu Headquarters Ruins (Yagi Residence), and the Hanazono University Historical Museum.
The straight-line distances from these attractions to the venue are also provided.
京都タワー
京都府京都市下京区にある塔
京都国立博物館
京都市にある国立博物館
京都国立近代美術館
京都市左京区岡崎にある美術館
京都国際マンガミュージアム
日本の京都府京都市中京区にある日本最大の漫画博物館
京都市美術館
京都市左京区岡崎にある美術館
京都府立植物園
京都市左京区にある植物園
京都鉄道博物館
京都府京都市下京区にある鉄道博物館
Fushimi Inari Taisha
京都市伏見区にある神社
元離宮二条城
京都市にある城郭及び元皇室関連施設
Yasaka Jinja
京都市東山区にある神社
円山公園
京都市にある公園
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
京都市上京区にある神社
Origins and History of Kasuga Festival (Kyoto City)
Saiin Kasuga Jinja is said to have been established in the 11th year of the Tencho era (833), in the Heian period, when a divided spirit was brought from Kasuga Taisha in Nara and enshrined at the wish of Emperor Junna.
The Kasuga Festival, too, has been handed down since it was founded by enshrining a sacred spirit from Kasuga Taisha in Nara.
Some of the mikoshi were made in the early Edo period and are a historic part of the procession today.
Official information
西院春日神社公式サイト：Saiin Kasuga Jinja official website
Kasuga Festival (Kyoto City) at a Glance
The Kasuga Festival is an autumn festival handed down at Saiin Kasuga Jinja.
A procession centered on two mikoshi and five kenhoko, and including a military band, Yaotome shrine maidens, and children, makes its way through the Saiin area.
Highlights include the “Tomoe-mawari” at the Nishioji Shijo intersection, the “Gozen Kagura” at the imperial lodging, and the “haiden-mawari” after returning to the shrine.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/26
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