A day of history, culture, and local events at the Kuni Palace Site
Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival × Kamo Festival
The 2026 edition of Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival × Kamo Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/11/01Ended
- Location
- Special Historic Site: Kuni Palace Site (Yamashiro Provincial Temple Site)
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・Kizugawa 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
- Participation fee
- Free admission
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This event brings together activities that let visitors experience history and culture with the bustle of the local community, at the Special Historic Site of the Kuni Palace Site. The 2026 program included a special public viewing of the excavation site, gagaku performances, bamboo lanterns, and food and local-products booths.
About Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival × Kamo Festival
This combined event brings the Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival and Kamo Festival, a local event, together at the same venue.
In 2026, a special public viewing of the excavation site, gagaku performances, bamboo lanterns, and food and local-products booths were planned at the Special Historic Site of the Kuni Palace Site.
Activities celebrating history and culture were gathered in one day with local events such as a bingo tournament and stage performances.
Festival highlights
Highlights include a special public viewing of the inner palace excavation site, which is not normally open to visitors, and gagaku performances by Tenri University’s Gagaku Club.
Bamboo lanterns were to be displayed at the venue, and a Mikanohara lantern launch was scheduled for the evening.
The program also included a Wadōkaichin coin-casting experience, a big bingo tournament, food and local-products booths, and stage events.
A day of history, culture, and local events at the Kuni Palace Site
What to expect
According to the 2026 information, events for the Kuni Palace Tenpyō Festival and Kamo Festival were scheduled from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The program includes a special public viewing of the excavation site, gagaku performances, a bamboo lantern display, and original merchandise for sale, as well as a Wadōkaichin coin-casting experience, the Kuninomiya Market, a big bingo tournament, and stage events.
A Mikanohara lantern launch was also scheduled for the evening.
How to take part
参加費：入場無料
Location and access
- Venue and address
Special Historic Site: Kuni Palace Site (Yamashiro Provincial Temple Site) / Reihei, Kamo-cho, Kizugawa City
- Train and bus
About a 30-minute walk from the west exit of Kamo Station on the JR Yamatoji Line / A free shuttle bus runs from the west exit of Kamo Station on the day of the event only
- By car
Parking at the venue is limited and congestion is expected, so shuttle bus use is recommended
- Parking
Parking is available at the venue, but spaces are limited
Address Reihei, Kamo-cho, Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture 619-1106
Dates and season
2026 event information (the published dates have passed)
It was scheduled to take place on November 1, 2026 (Sunday), from 10 a.m. to 8 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 / Kizugawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
According to the 2026 information, parking at the venue was limited and congestion was expected, so shuttle bus use was recommended.
A free shuttle bus was scheduled to run from the west exit of JR Kamo Station on the day of the event.
Nearby attractions
Near the venue are the Special Historic Site of the Kuni Palace Site (Yamashiro Provincial Temple Site) and Kuninomiya Learning Center at the Kizugawa City Cultural Properties Sorting and Storage Center.
Kaijūsen-ji Temple and Okada Kamo Shrine are also listed as nearby attractions.
Distances from the venue to each facility are shown as straight-line distances on the information page.
Origins and History of Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival × Kamo Festival
The Kuni Palace Site is in the Mikanohara area of Kamo-cho, Kizugawa City, in southern Kyoto Prefecture.
The information describes Kunikyō as the capital established by Emperor Shōmu during the Nara period, and the area as a place where traces of nature and history remain even 1,300 years later.
No specific information about when the festival itself began or how it has changed over time could be confirmed.
Official information
The 2026 event information can be found in Kyoto Prefecture’s event listings, the Kuni Palace Site information, and announcements from the Kizugawa City Chamber of Commerce.
The listed contacts are the Kizugawa City Cultural Properties Protection Division for the Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival and the Kamo Festival Executive Committee for the Kamo Festival.
Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival × Kamo Festival at a Glance
Kunikyō Tenpyō Festival × Kamo Festival is an event held at the Special Historic Site of the Kuni Palace Site, combining historical and cultural activities such as public access to the excavation site, gagaku performances, and bamboo lanterns with food and local-products booths, a big bingo tournament, and stage events.
The event was scheduled for November 1, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with lanterns also scheduled to be launched in the evening.
You can get to the venue from Kamo Station on foot or by free shuttle bus.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
