Aoi Matsuri
15 May 2026 — Aoi leaves quietly lead the procession through the old capital.
Aoi Matsuri is one of the oldest and best-known festivals of Kyoto. It is held every year on 15 May and is connected with two Shinto shrines, Shimogamo and Kamigamo. Its name comes from aoi – the futaba-aoi plant (Asarum caulescens, a kind of wild ginger with heart-shaped leaves), whose leaves decorate the participants, the carriages and even the buildings. The centrepiece is a solemn procession of several hundred people in Heian-period dress (794–1185): courtiers, messengers, horses and ox-drawn carriages. It sets out from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and reaches the shrines, where prayers are offered for well-being and a good harvest. According to tradition, the festival dates back to the 6th century, under Emperor Kinmei, when offerings were made to the Kamo deities after storms and poor harvests, to appease the elements. In the past, the rites were part of court life in the old capital. The date is fixed in the calendar. In case of rain, the procession is usually postponed to the next day.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver figure of an ox-drawn carriage of the Heian court, made of luminous dots and thin lines like a constellation, with a canopy and wheels decorated by delicate heart-shaped futaba-aoi (wild ginger) leaves of stars, drifting slowly across the night sky
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