🏮 Kemari Hajime
蹴鞠はじめ
Kyoto (Shimogamo Shrine) · Every year on 4 January
112 days to go
Rooms around Kyoto fill up while the festival is on.
Kemari Hajime, held on January 4 at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, is a traditional Kyoto event passed down from the imperial court since ancient times. People dressed in the robes of court nobles, wearing eboshi hats, perform kemari (a ball-kicking game), which is offered at the shrine and adds color to the New Year scene at the shrine. The highlight is the kemari technique and movements shown by the participants in their traditional costumes. Viewing is generally free and open to the public, and there is also a paid special viewing seat (2,000 yen, includes a pamphlet). As a historic event representing Kyoto's New Year, visitors can experience a time-honored culture up close.
Getting there
City bus 205 to Shimogamo Shrine-mae
Don't miss Kemari Hajime
Save a festival in the app and it reminds you a week before it starts. Over 1,000 more to browse by map and calendar.
Where to stay
Searches for rooms on Every year on 4 January.
Festival supplies
Browse on AmazonGetting there
Local specialities
Browse on meibutsu.jp →Festivals nearby
Gion Matsuri
Kyoto · Every year, 14–24 July
Aoi Matsuri
Kyoto · 15 May
Gozan no Okuribi
Kyoto · Every year on 16 August
Miyazu Matsuri
Miyazu, Kyoto · Every year, 13–15 May
Agata Matsuri
Uji, Kyoto · Every year, 5–6 June
Iwashimizu Sai
Yawata, Kyoto · Every year, from the evening of 14 September to late night on 15 September
