Gion Matsuri 2026
Date: Jul 2026
Venue: Barrio de Gion, Kioto
Kyoto's most important festival and one of Japan's three great matsuri, celebrated throughout July. The highlight is the Yamaboko Junko float procession on the 17th and 24th — multi-story wooden structures decorated with historical tapestries pulled through the city centre. The Yoiyama the night before, when the floats are illuminated and streets fill with people in yukata, is one of the year's best spectacles.