OfficialOn now© Joi (Joi Ito) · CC BY 2.0Kyoto's only autumn geisha dance, staged by the geiko and maiko of the Gion Higashi district. Ten days of elegant kyomai dance under lanterns, accompanied by live shamisen and song — a refined seasonal highlight of Kyoto.
Until Tue, Nov 10, 2026 17:00 JST Kyoto¥6,000 (viewing only); ¥7,000 with a tea ceremony. Two shows daily at 13:30 and 16:00.
OfficialUpcoming© Takeshi Kuboki · CC BY 2.0Kyoto's Arashiyama bursts into crimson and gold each November, with mountain temples, a scenic train and bamboo groves.
Sun, Nov 15, 2026 08:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0Eikando's autumn light-up runs Nov 20 (Fri) – Dec 6 (Sun), 2026: entry 5:30–8:30 pm (gates close 9 pm), ¥1,000 for junior-high age and up, same-day tickets only. Separate from the daytime exhibition (from Nov 11). Checked 2026-10-14.
Fri, Nov 20, 2026 17:30 JST KyotoNight light-up ¥1,000 (junior-high age and up; no group rate; same-day tickets only). Daytime exhibition: adults ¥1,500 (groups of 30+: ¥1,300), university students ¥1,000, high-school/junior-high students ¥800 (official, checked 2026-10-14)
OfficialUpcoming© Marianne North · Public domainChion-in's 2026 joya-no-kane dates and booking are not announced yet (as of Oct 14). In 2025 the ringing began around 22:40, viewing required an advance application (from Dec 1, 14:00) at ¥3,000, and visitors could watch but not ring the bell. The Dec 27 trial ringing needed no booking.
Thu, Dec 31, 2026 Kyoto2026 not announced (checked 2026-10-14). In 2025: ¥3,000 per person (free for elementary-school children and younger), by advance application or ticket bought at the Yuzen-en reception.
OfficialUpcoming© Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY-SA 4.0Fushimi Inari hatsumode 2027: entry free, New Year rite at 6:00 on 1 January; press and guide sites say the grounds are open around the clock. The car park closes 30 Dec-6 Jan; take JR to Inari or Keihan to Fushimi-Inari.
Thu, Dec 31, 2026 23:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0Kyoto's most famous Setsubun rite, where a masked exorcist drives off blue, red and yellow demons in an ancient court ceremony, ringed by 800 food stalls.
Tue, Feb 2, 2027 18:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0Kyoto Marathon 2027 runs on Sunday, February 21, 2027, starting at Takebishi Stadium Kyoto in Nishikyogoku at 9:00 a.m. and finishing in front of Heian-jingu Shrine, with a field of 16,000.
Sun, Feb 21, 2027 09:00 JST KyotoMarathon entry ¥18,500 (Kyoto residents) / ¥19,500 (other domestic) / ¥35,000 (overseas); pair-ekiden ¥34,000/pair; wheelchair race ¥3,000. Spectating is free. (Fees per the official race guidelines, as of September 18, 2026.)
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 runs 17 April to 16 May 2027, its 15th edition. The dates are confirmed on the official site; the theme, artist line-up, venue list and 2027 ticket prices are not yet announced. For reference, the 2026 all-venue Passport was ¥5,500 in advance (¥3,000 for students) and single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500, with under-15s free.
Sat, Apr 17, 2027 10:00 JST Kyoto2027 prices are not yet announced (as of September 2026). For reference, the 2026 edition priced the all-venue Passport at ¥5,500 in advance and ¥5,800 online / ¥6,000 paper during the festival, with a ¥3,000 student Passport; single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500 (student ¥400–¥800), an Express Passport was ¥15,000, and children under 15 entered free. Some programmes are free.
OfficialUpcoming© Oilstreet · CC BY 2.5A two-stage open-air house/techno/bass festival with camping in the Kyoto countryside (next edition dates TBA).
Sat, May 15, 2027 10:00 JST KyotoAdvance standing ~¥9,000–10,000; group packs; camping/parking extra
OfficialUpcoming© J o (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0Aoi Matsuri 2027 is on Saturday, May 15. The procession usually leaves the Kyoto Imperial Palace at 10:30, reaches Shimogamo Shrine at 11:40 and Kamigamo Shrine at 15:30; rain moves it to May 16. Paid seats cost ¥5,000-¥20,000 in 2026; 2027 prices are not yet announced.
Sat, May 15, 2027 10:30 JST KyotoPaid seats (2026): Kyoto Gyoen general ¥5,000-¥6,500, Royal Seat ¥18,000-¥20,000; Shimogamo Shrine approach general ¥5,000-¥6,500, Manabi Seat ¥8,500-¥10,500. 2027 prices not yet announced (checked 2026-10-13).
OfficialUpcoming© Marie-Sophie Mejan · CC BY 4.0A 1,400-year-old imperial procession of 500 people in Heian-era robes winds 8km through Kyoto, oxen and ox-carts adorned with hollyhock leaves.
Sat, May 15, 2027 10:30 JST KyotoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0Japan's largest indie game festival fills Kyoto's Miyako Messe with playable booths from developers worldwide.
Fri, May 21, 2027 10:00 JST KyotoTicketed (around ¥2,000+ per day, 2026 reference); Day 1 is business-only.
OfficialOpen year-round© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0Kyoto's most respected basement live house and nightclub, running an all-genre program from techno and house to live bands since 1990.
Open year-round KyotoDoor price varies by event; many nights ¥2,000–¥3,500 with one drink.
OfficialOpen year-round© Makoragi · CC BY 4.0Historic sake museum in Kyoto's Fushimi brewing district with exhibits, brewery tours and a tasting corner.
Open year-round KyotoPaid admission including a tasting; open 9:30-16:30 (last entry 16:00). Cashless from July 2026.
OfficialOpen year-round© Joi (Joi Ito) · CC BY 2.0A 50-minute sampler of Kyoto's traditional performing arts in one sitting: maiko kyomai dance, bunraku puppet theatre, kyogen comedy, court bugaku dance, tea ceremony, ikebana and koto. The easiest, most tourist-friendly intro to Japanese arts.
Open year-round KyotoAdult from ¥5,500; premium seats ¥6,600. Daily shows at 18:00 and 19:00 (winter Dec–Mar: Tue–Fri only).
OfficialOpen year-round© Yu Morita from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY-SA 2.0A converted 1920s schoolhouse whose corridors are lined with 50,000 readable manga — pull any volume off the 200m 'Wall of Manga' and sprawl on the lawn.
Open year-round KyotoAdults ¥900 (check site for current fees)
OfficialOpen year-round© Evan-Amos · Public domainNintendo's own museum in Uji traces 130+ years of play — from hanafuda cards to the Switch — with giant interactive exhibits in a former factory.
Open year-round KyotoLottery reservation required; admission via official ticket draw
OfficialOpen year-round© Pitke · CC BY 3.0At the home of Kyoto's 1,200-year Nishijin weaving tradition, dress in one of 150+ komon kimono — footwear and underthings included — and stroll the old capital in style.
Open year-round KyotoKomon kimono ¥4,950 (outdoor) / ¥3,850 (indoor); reservation required
OfficialOpen year-round© Mariemon at jp Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0Kyoto's biggest club: a multi-floor Kiyamachi institution that has hosted Skrillex, Steve Aoki and Fatboy Slim for 1,000+ dancers.
Open year-round KyotoDoor charge varies by event (with drink)
OfficialPast event© Conveyor belt sushi · CC BY 2.0Gion's geiko and maiko perform the elegant Miyako Odori every April, a dazzling spring dance of kimono, music and seasonal scenes.
Wed, Apr 1, 2026 12:30 JST KyotoTickets from around 4,000 yen; tea-ceremony seats cost more
OfficialPast event© BLM Nevada · CC BY-SA 2.0Some 20,000 hydrangeas in 50 varieties carpet a hillside temple garden in Uji — including the elusive star-shaped 'shichidanka' — with weekend evening light-ups.
Mon, Jun 22, 2026 08:30 JST KyotoGarden admission approx. ¥1,000 (adults).
OfficialPast event© Mitchwandrew · CC BY 4.0Walk a luminous path through towering bamboo in Kyoto's Arashiyama, where filtered light and rustling stalks feel otherworldly.
Fri, Jun 26, 2026 07:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Atticus nguyen · CC BY-SA 4.0Learn the graceful art of the Japanese tea ceremony in a traditional Kyoto machiya, hosted in English for visitors.
Fri, Jun 26, 2026 11:00 JST KyotoSessions typically 2,500-6,000 yen; reservations required
OfficialPast event© Auckland Museum Collections from Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand · CC BY 2.0Dress in samurai armor, try sword training and throw shuriken on an English guided tour through Japan's warrior history in the heart of downtown Kyoto.
Sat, Jun 27, 2026 14:00 JST KyotoBasic ticket from about ¥3,000 (adult); longer experiences cost more
OfficialPast event© Umio · CC BY-SA 4.0Tour a historic 1909 sake brewery in Kyoto's Fushimi district, see the old tools of the trade, taste the pure underground water, and finish with a sake tasting — all for ¥600.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 10:00 JST Kyoto¥600 admission (age 20+, includes sake tasting); ¥100 ages 13-19, free under 12
OfficialPast event© Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5Learn to hold the brush, control the ink and write kanji the traditional way in a 90-minute English-led shodo class — and take your finished artwork home as a keepsake.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 11:00 JST KyotoReserve via the official site for current pricing
OfficialPast event© 663highland · CC BY 2.5Stroll Kyoto's historic Fushimi sake quarter, where soft spring water and centuries-old breweries make some of Japan's finest sake.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 11:00 JST KyotoTastings and museum entry from a few hundred yen
OfficialPast event© M Disdero · CC BY-SA 2.5Train like a real ninja with a licensed Japanese master — sword, dagger, shuriken and blowgun techniques in a downtown tatami dojo, taught hands-on in English.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026 13:00 JST Kyoto1-hour lesson ¥10,000; 2-hour lesson ¥15,000 per person (ninja costume included)
OfficialPast event© Tom Parker · Public domainThrow your own bowl or cup on an electric potter's wheel with a third-generation Kyoto ceramicist near Sennyu-ji; your fired piece is shipped to you afterward.
Tue, Jun 30, 2026 10:00 JST KyotoQuick course about ¥2,000 (20 min); standard course ¥5,000 (30-60 min), plus tax
OfficialPast event© Sergiy Galyonkin · CC BY-SA 2.0Kyoto's most atmospheric nightlife lane — a narrow lantern-lit alley of riverside restaurants, sake bars and traditional teahouses.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 18:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0Kyoto's largest club — a two-floor Kiyamachi venue running EDM/house/techno upstairs and hip-hop on another floor.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 22:00 JST KyotoDoor with drink; tourist-friendly entry packages available
JmtyPast event© Edge place（エッヂプレイス） · via jmtyA relaxed Korean-conversation meetup at a Kyoto café—practice speaking at any level with seats arranged by ability, then swap contacts over coffee.
Sat, Jul 4, 2026 15:00 JST Kyoto¥1,000 (¥500 if no Korean attendees)
OfficialPast event© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0The Kyoto International Community House hosts cultural exchange events, language cafes and workshops for visitors and residents.
Sun, Jul 5, 2026 14:00 JST KyotoMany events free or low-cost; some workshops ticketed
JmtyPast event© pickle · via jmtyA free, all-ages pickleball gathering near Odo Station bringing students, staff and locals together to play and connect across generations.
Sun, Jul 12, 2026 10:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Corpse Reviver · CC BY 3.0Kyoto's grandest festival fills July with towering wooden floats, lantern-lit evening parties, and 1,100 years of tradition.
Fri, Jul 17, 2026 09:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Globetrotter19 · CC BY-SA 3.0On the 21st of every month, nearly 1,000 stalls fill the grounds of UNESCO-listed Toji Temple with street food, antiques, pickles and crafts beneath its great pagoda.
Tue, Jul 21, 2026 08:00 JST KyotoFree
connpassPast event© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0Kyoto's Google Developer Group runs monthly study sessions and hackathons on Android, Flutter, AI/ML and Cloud.
Sat, Jul 25, 2026 13:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Lonely Planet Japan · CC BY-SA 4.0Around 12,000 fireworks reflect off Japan's largest lake near Otsu in a 40th-anniversary show fused with drones and lasers.
Thu, Aug 6, 2026 19:30 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General · CC BY 4.0Thousands of memorial lanterns drift down the Oi River below Arashiyama as the 'Torii-gata' bonfire of the Gozan Okuribi blazes on the hillside above.
Sun, Aug 16, 2026 19:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© ja:User:Kyoto-u · CC BY 2.5Giant kanji and shapes blaze on five mountains around Kyoto to send ancestral spirits home at the close of Obon.
Sun, Aug 16, 2026 20:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Chainwit. · CC BY-SA 4.0Japan's oldest kabuki theatre in Kyoto stages a modern crossover, fusing the world of kabuki with the famous anime master-thief Lupin III. A playful, fast-paced gateway into the art form, with English audio guides available.
Wed, Sep 2, 2026 11:00 JST KyotoTickets vary by seat class; check the official site. English audio guide available for rental.
OfficialPast event© Henxter · CC BY-SA 4.0UNESCO-listed Belgian beer culture lands in front of Kyoto's Higashi-Honganji temple — dozens of imported brews, frites, waffles and live music in an open-air city festival.
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 12:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Corpse Reviver · CC BY-SA 3.0Jidai Matsuri 2026 is Thursday, October 22: about 2,000 people in period costume leave the Kyoto Imperial Palace at noon and reach Heian Jingu around 14:30. Free from the roadside; paid seats from ¥5,000. Rain date: Oct 23.
Thu, Oct 22, 2026 12:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© ja:User:Si-take. · CC BY-SA 3.0Thursday, October 22, 2026: torches are lit at 6pm and the festival runs past midnight around Yuki Shrine in Kurama village. Free to watch. Cars are barred from 3pm, so take the Eizan Railway — the last train back from Kurama leaves at 23:24 (checked 2026-10-13).
Thu, Oct 22, 2026 18:00 JST KyotoFree