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| Kyoto's
"Festival of Ages" |
Every year on October 22nd Kyoto's Heian Jingu shrine holds a splendid festival
called the "Jidai Matsuri" (Festival of Ages). This event is one of the three great annual festivals
in the city of Kyoto.
Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868 and experienced many historical changes during this ten century
period. The main feature of the Jidai Matsuri is the unique procession of more than 2,000 participants clad in
costumes representing important epochs during the time when Kyoto was the capital.
The festival procession begins at the Kyoto Gosho (Old Imperial Palace) and weaves its way through the city ending
up at the Heian Jingu shrine several kilometers away. The order of the procession is chronological beginning with
the most recent historical age:
1. Meiji Restoration: Royal army & procession of patriots
2. Edo Period (1615 - 1866): Shogun Tokugawa's deputy
3. Ladies of Edo: Kazuno-Miya (Princess Kazu), Rengetsu, Madam Kuranosuke Nakamura, Madam Kaji &
>Gyokuran,
Yoshino Tayu and Izumo-no-Okuni
4. Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1614): Procession of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Lord Oda Nobunaga
5. Muromachi Period (1393 - 1572): General Kusunoki Masahige enters Kyoto
6. Ladies of the Medieval Ages: Ohara-me, Katsura-me, Yodo-Gimi, Madam Fujiwara Tameie and Shizuka->Gozen
(Lady Shizuka)
7. Kamakura Period (1192 - 1333): Yabusame (horseback archers)
8. Fujiwara Period (897 - 1185): Procession of Court Nobles
9. Ladies of the Heian Period (794 - 1185): Waka no Hiromushi, Ono no Komachi, daughter of Kino->Tsurayuki,
Murasaki Shikibu & Sei Shonangon, Tokiwa-Gozen (Lady Tokiwa), Yokobue and Tomoe-Gozen
10. Enryaku Period (782 - 806): Procession of warriors, procession of nobles
11. Company Carrying Offerings to Gods (given to Heian Jingu shrine)
12. Zen-Retsu (sacred carriages)
13. Shinko-Retsu (sacred carriages)
14. Company of Archers (from Minami-Kuwata and Funai counties)
The images exhibited below are a selection of the various periods, costumes and personalities of the Jidai Matsuri. |
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Katsura-me Flower Girl
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Lady of Medieval Age
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Kusunoki Masashige Clan
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Z2-166-36>Lightbox
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Z2-170-19>Lightbox
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Z2-173-21>Lightbox
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Holding a Modesty Screen
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Samurai in Casual Wear
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Heian Period Lady
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Z2-182-24>Lightbox
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Z2-179-32>Lightbox
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Z2-175-30>Lightbox
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Samurai Warrior
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General Kusunoki Masashige
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High Level Samurai
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Z2-177-06>Lightbox
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Z2-179-04>Lightbox
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Z2-179-30>Lightbox
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Ohara-me Carrying Firewood
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Powder-white Face
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Heian Period Procession
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Z2-177-27>Lightbox
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Z2-169-27>Lightbox
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Z2-181-29>Lightbox
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Tomoe-Gozen Samurai
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Assistant Boy
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Heian Period Ladies
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Z2-180-15>Lightbox
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Z2-180-02>Lightbox
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Z2-178-18>Lightbox
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"Waraji" Straw Sandala
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Silk Kimono
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Traditional "Boots"
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Z2-180-04>Lightbox
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Z2-169-11>Lightbox
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Z2-168-05>Lightbox
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Heian Period Lady with Drum
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Broad Rim Veiled Hat
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Samurai Warrior
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Z2-178-23>Lightbox
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Z2-178-08>Lightbox
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Z2-179-08>Lightbox
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Samurai Warrior
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Tomoe-Gozen Samurai
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Samurai Portrait
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Z2-177-22>Lightbox
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Z2-180-37>Lightbox
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Z2-177-24>Lightbox
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Medieval Period Lady
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Detail of Face
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Samurai Armor
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Z2-177-29>Lightbox
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Z2-182-10>Lightbox
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Z2-179-01>Lightbox
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Servant Boy
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Warrior Clan
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Procession of Medieval Ladies
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Z2-168-18>Lightbox
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Z2-179-24>Lightbox
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Z2-181-27>Lightbox
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Meiji Restoration Period
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Lady of Heian Period
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Close-up of Make-up
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Z2-176-27>Lightbox
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Z2-182-13>Lightbox
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Z2-177-37>Lightbox
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Maple Leaf Girl
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City Street Procession
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Musicians in Costume
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Z2-182-30>Lightbox
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Z2-183-37>Lightbox
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Z2-183-15>Lightbox
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