A month of Kyoto summer brought to life by yamahoko floats and Gion music
Gion Festival
The 2026 edition of Gion Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/01 〜 2026/07/31Ended
- Season / frequency
- July 1–31
- Location
- Yasaka Shrine, Shijo Bridge, Shijo , and the yamahoko neighborhoods
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Paid seats for the Yamahoko Junko procession start at ¥6,000 per seat.
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Gion Festival, which colors Kyoto’s summer, continues from July 1 through the 31st as a festival of Yasaka Shrine. A wide range of events take place throughout the city, including the yamahoko procession and Yoiyama, rituals involving , and performances of traditional arts.
About Gion Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: nekonomania File:Gion-matsuri in Kyoto; July 2010 (01).jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/50093642@N03/4796942544/Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: nekonomania File:Gion-matsuri in Kyoto; July 2010 (07).jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/50093642@N03/4796365001/Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Sakurai Midori File:Minami Kannonyama Gion Matsuri Yoiyama.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Gion Festival is a traditional event held in Kyoto as a festival of Yasaka Shrine.
From the Kippuiri on July 1 through the Ekijinja Nagoshi Festival on the 31st, a wide range of events continue, including rituals, yamahoko processions, and Yoiyama.
A month-long festival that colors Kyoto’s summer, centered on the earlier and later yamahoko processions.
Source: 祇園祭行事一覧2026｜【京都市公式】京都観光Navi
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the procession, in which yamahoko floats as tall as 5- to 8-story buildings make their way through the streets.
For the earlier procession, the floats set off from Shijo-Karasuma, and dramatic tsujimawashi turns take place at spots such as Kawaramachi-Shijo and Kawaramachi-Oike.
During Yoiyama, the floats are decorated, and you can also enjoy Gion music and folding screens displayed in traditional townhouses.
Source: 祇園祭山鉾巡行（前祭・後祭）｜【京都市公式】京都観光Navi
A month of Kyoto summer brought to life by yamahoko floats and Gion music
What to expect
The festival begins with the Kippuiri on July 1, followed by ritual planning meetings and the assembly of yamahoko floats in each neighborhood.
After the earlier Yoiyama on the 14th–16th of July and the later Yoiyama on the 21st–23rd, the yamahoko processions take place on the 17th and 24th.
Events associated with Yasaka Shrine, including the Shinkosai, Kankosai, and Mikoshi-arai-shiki, also continue during the festival period.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
参加費：山鉾巡行の有料観覧席は1席6,000円から。
Location and access
- Venue and address
Events take place at Yasaka Shrine, Shijo Ohashi Bridge, Shijo Otabisho, and the various yamahoko neighborhoods.
- Train and bus
During the Yamahoko Junko procession, special buses will run from Kyoto Station to Shijo Kawaramachi.
Additional subway services will run on the Karasuma and Tozai lines.
- By car
City bus routes will be changed due to traffic restrictions.
Source: 京都市交通局：祇園祭に伴う市バス・地下鉄の臨時増発等の実施
Event venue 京都府京都市 八坂神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Gion Festival events were announced as scheduled to run from July 1 (Wednesday) through the 31st (Friday).
The earlier yamahoko procession is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on July 17 (Friday), and the later procession at 9:30 a.m. on July 24 (Friday).
Yoiyama is scheduled for the 14th–16th of July for the earlier procession and the 21st–23rd of July for the later procession.
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 / Kyoto City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
During the Yoiyama period, some areas have one-way pedestrian traffic or restrictions on entry. Please follow local guidance when viewing the festival.
The yamahoko procession is scheduled to go ahead in rainy weather, but hot conditions are expected, so take precautions such as drinking plenty of water and wearing a hat.
Bring a raincoat in case of rain, and take care not to block others’ view with an umbrella while watching.
Source: 京都市：京都府警察と連携した祇園祭の観覧環境向上のための取組 / 祇園祭「有料観覧席のご案内」｜【京都市公式】京都観光Navi
Nearby attractions
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 Shrine
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 Gion Festival
The Gion Festival is a festival of Yasaka Shrine with a history of more than 1,000 years.
This shows that the festival as it is held today takes place over a month, from July 1 through the 31st, with the earlier and later yamahoko processions and Yoiyama carried on as its central events.
The Ofunehoko float in the later procession was restored in 2014, after 150 years.
Official information
The list of 2026 events is available on Kyoto City’s official Kyoto Travel Navi website.
The websites of Yasaka Shrine and the Gion Festival Yamahoko Association are also listed as official festival information.
Details about paid viewing seats for the yamahoko procession and temporary services operated by the Transportation Bureau can be checked in their respective announcements.
Gion Festival at a Glance
The Gion Festival is held in Kyoto as a festival of Yasaka Shrine for a month in July.
You can see events that vary by day, including the earlier and later yamahoko processions, with floats moving through the streets; Yoiyama, when Gion music fills the air; and rituals involving mikoshi.
The 2026 yamahoko processions were announced as scheduled for July 17 and the 24th.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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