Matsuri BiyoriCalendar of Japan's UNESCO-listed festivals
Scene from Yasuraibana
Photo: Ikkyu / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Furyu-odori
Calculated

Yasuraibana

Japanese name: やすらい花（やすらいばな）

Kita Ward, Kyoto (Imamiya Shrine, Genbu Shrine, Kawakami Daijingusha, Kamigamo), Kyoto

2027

  • Sun, Apr 11

    Yasurai Festival (Imamiya, Genbu, Kawakami)

  • Sat, May 15

    Kamigamo Yasurai Festival

Check with the organizers or local government
ABOUT

About the festival

Yasuraibana is a festival handed down in four districts of northern Kyoto, including Murasakino and Kamigamo in Kita Ward, held in the flower season to calm the deities of epidemics. A procession led by furyu parasols decorated with fresh flowers moves through the streets, and demon figures wearing shaguma wigs dance vigorously while striking gongs and drums. The name comes from a refrain in the dance song, and it appears in records by the late Heian period.

  • The furyu parasol, topped with a flower basket and hung with scarlet cloth

  • The belief that stepping under the flower parasol protects you from misfortune

  • Children called ko-oni (little demons), wearing kakko drums on their chests

PHOTOS

Photos

Scene from Yasuraibana
Photo: Ikkyu / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
DETAILS

Key facts

Category
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Furyu-odori dances
Location
Kita Ward, Kyoto (Imamiya Shrine, Genbu Shrine, Kawakami Daijingusha, Kamigamo), Kyoto
Main venue
Around Imamiya Shrine and the other three districts of northern Kyoto
Getting there
For Imamiya Shrine, get off the Kyoto City Bus at Imamiya-jinja-mae; the shrine is right there.

Sources

This description was written by Matsuri Biyori based on public information. Dates and details may change. Please check the organizers' latest information before you go. Translated from the Japanese original.

FAQ

FAQ

When is Yasuraibana held in 2027?
In 2027, it is scheduled for Sun, Apr 11, Sat, May 15 (Calculated from the usual rule).
Where is Yasuraibana held?
It is held in Kita Ward, Kyoto (Imamiya Shrine, Genbu Shrine, Kawakami Daijingusha, Kamigamo), Kyoto. The main venue is Around Imamiya Shrine and the other three districts of northern Kyoto.
How are the dates of Yasuraibana set?
Imamiya, Genbu and Kawakami: every year on the second Sunday of April. Kamigamo: every year on May 15.