Jidai Matsuri

Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages, 時代祭) is one of the three more important festivals (Matsuri) of the old capital of Japan, Kyoto. It is held every October 22nd. This festival was created in 1895, year of the 1100e birthday of foundation of the Kyoto capital, then known under the name of “Heian-kyô”.

The festival is closely related to the sanctuary Heian Jingu, founded at the same moment. It is dedicated to two emperors: that which transferred the capital to Kyoto, the emperor Kanmu, and that which was the last to reign on the capital, the emperor Kômei.

The procession begins with the Gosho, imperial park of Kyoto, and finishes with the Heian Jingu. To see the whole procession, at least an hour thirty should be hoped, because there are several stages where time moves back slowly towards the foundation even of Kyoto: 1. Restoration Meiji (1868)

a. Royal army of the Meiji restoration

b. Procession of the patriots of the Meiji restoration

2. Era Edo (1615-1866) Visit courtesy of the shogun Tokugawa with the emperor

3. Ladies of the era Edo

a. Kazuno Miya (Kazu princess), girl of the Kômei emperor, she Marie Tokugawa Iemochi at 16 years.

b. Rengetsu, artist.

c. Kuranosuke Nakamura, woman of a commercial rich person

d. Kai and Gyokuran, poétesses.

e. Yoshino Tayu, artist.

f. Izumo No Okuni, priestess at the origin of the creation of the kabuki

4. Era Azuchi Momoyama (1573-1614)

a. Procession of Toyotomi Hideyoshi

b. Sir Oda Nobunaga enters the city

5. Era Muromachi (1393-1572)

Triumphal entry of the General Kusunoki Masashige in Kyoto

6. Ladies of the Middle Ages

a. Ohara-me, female traditional clothes of the northern area of Kyoto, Ohara

b. Katsura - me, female traditional clothes of the western area of Kyoto, Katsura

c. Yodo Gimi, woman of Toyotomi Hideyoshi

d. Fujiwara Tameie

e. Shizuka Gozen, tragic heroin passionately liked by Minamoto Yoshitsune

7. Era Kamakura (1192-1333)

The company of the Yabusame archers

8. Era Fujiwara (897-1185)

The procession of noble of the court

9. Ladies of the era Heian (794-1185)

a. Wake No Hiromushi, bienfaitrice which saved 83 orphans, creative orphanages in Japan

b. Ono No Komachi, extremely beautiful poetess

c. Girl of Kino Tsurayuki, noble poet

d. Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon; the first is the auteure of “Genji Monogatari” (Known as of Genji) and the second is the auteure of the test criticizes “Makura No Soshi”.

e. Tokiwa Gozen

f. Yokobue

g. Tomoe Gozen, woman of the General Kiso Yoshinaka who fought at his sides, in armor.

10. Era Enryaku (782-806)

a. Procession of the warriors

b. Procession of noble of the court

11. Offerings offered to the gods

12. Zen retsu , crowned procession

13. Shinko retsu

Crowned procession of the two attachments symbolizing the hearts of the emperors Kanmu and Kômei.

14. Company of archers

They are charged symbolically to protect the crowned attachments.

External bond

Nomadess - Québécois with Kyoto, many photographs, funds of screen, accurate informations on Jidai Matsuri and several other events

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