Mifune Festival, Kyoto
This unique Kyoto festival in Arashiyama may have started only in 1928, but it recreates the elaborate boat parties of the imperial courts from 1,000 years ago. Held annually on the third Sunday of May, the Mifune Festival is organised by Kurumazaki-jinja, a shrine popular with entertainment industry folks, as it’s dedicated to a deity of the performing arts.
On this day, you’ll find roughly 20 boats gathering on the Oi River near the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge. Many of these vibrantly decorated vessels feature either the head of a dragon or phoenix. Onboard, participants dressed in Heian-period attire perform traditional dance, music and poetry recitals. The twelve-layered kimonos worn by women are especially stunning.