Kitano Festival: Shikosai & Kankosai at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

Five days in Kyoto between October 1st and 5th of every year bring the full pomp and circumstance of Kitano Tenmangu’s grand autumn festival. Legends date the origin back to year 987, when Emperor Ichijo sent an imperial envoy to conduct the Kitano Festival. At that time, it was one of Kyoto’s major festivals, but the grand procession was suspended during the Onin War (1467-1477). Later, in the Meiji period (1868-1912), it was revived at the request of parishioners and has since been passed down as the Zuiki Festival procession, held in gratitude for the autumn harvest.

The festival name “zuiki” refers to the stalk of the taro plant, and a notable highlight is the sacred offering mikoshi, whose roof is thatched with zuiki. The mikoshi is lavishly decorated with vegetables and dried foods and is displayed at the Otabisho in Nishinokyo from the 1st through the morning of the 4th.

On October 1, the Shinkosai features the grand portable shrine (gohoren) carrying the deity’s spirit from Kitano Tenmangu to the Otabisho. On the 2nd and 3rd, rituals such as the sacred dance of the yaotome maidens and the tea offering festival (kenchasai) are performed there. On the 4th, during the Kankosai, the mikoshi returns to Kitano Tenmangu, parading through the local community along the way. Throughout the festival, food stalls line the streets, drawing crowds of both locals and tourists.

Looking ahead, in 2027-marking the 1,125th anniversary of the death of Sugawara no Michizane-plans are underway to revive the original Kitano Festival procession as the shrine’s official annual festival.