Jidai Gyoretsu (時代行列)
The Jidai Gyoretsu is a pageant or procession in festivals where the participants wear costumes from the Kofun period (tumulus period) through the early Showa period, reproduced after research into each period,
Particularly, the Jidai Gyoretsu often takes place in urban festivals, which were begun in the modern era and in many cases, is intended to promote tourism in the postwar era by focusing on local historical resources. Unlike a traditional festival managed directly by local residents, urban festivals are often initiated by local governments and, since they have few religious characteristics or traditional restrictions, tend to be flamboyant with lots of events in order to attract crowds.
More information on the Jidai Gyoretsu
Although at times the research into the costumes is quite in-depth, at others it can be considerably inaccurate.
Nara period
Heian period
Early Heian period
It does not greatly differ from the Nara period.
Mid-Heian period
All people wear Heian period costumes. However, the costumes are often slightly simplified. Please refer to the section on Gokusui no En festival.
Late Heian period
Men often wear armor because this period saw the rise of the Taira and Minamoto clans. Women's clothing does not greatly differ from the mid-Heian period.
Kamakura period
The clothing does not greatly differ from the late Heian period.
Muromachi period
The clothing does not greatly differ from the Kamakura period.
Azuchi-momoyama period
As this was the Sengoku Period (Period of Warring States), men often wear armor and participate in samurai processions. Some women dress as princesses in clothes similar to Heian costumes (though authentic costumes would be short-sleeved kimono and uchikake, a long garment worn over kimono) and others wear armor like the men.
Edo period
To reflect the peaceful years of the Edo period, feudal lords' processions are often performed. Also, lots of women, boys and girls dressed as princesses, koshimoto (chamber maids), townspeople and street performers take part in the festival. It is an ideal opportunity to take a close look at various Japanese hairstyles.
Please refer to the Yujo Oiran Dochu (public procession of licensed courtesans), Marumage (rounded hairstyle for married women) and Chigomage (hairstyle for children)
Meiji period
Taisho period
Other
Lots of professional entertainers dress as warlords, daimyo, princesses, etc.
Shrine maidens, children, traditional Tekomai dancers, local folk song dancers, omikoshi (portable shrines), brass bands, baton twirlers and color guards also often take part in the procession described above.
Local Jidai Gyoretsu Procession in Japan
*(area and period of costumes)
Hokkaido
Tohoku Region
August 15 or 16: Saika SENBOKU Hottanosaku Natsu no Fubutsushi (signature summer event of Hottanosaku) (Daisen City, Heian period)
November 1-3: Aki no Fujiwara Matsuri Festival (Fujiwara autumn festival) (Hiraizumi, Heian period, children's parade)
Mid-November: Yamada Daimyo Procession (Motoyoshi-cho, Edo period)
Northern Kanto
Early March: Ishidan Hinamatsuri (Stone Steps Doll Festival) (Shibukawa City, Heian period)
Mid-April: Obata Sakura Matsuri Festival (Obata Cherry Blossoms festival) (Kanra-machi, Sengoku period)
Late April: Shiroishuku Musha Gyoretsu (Shiroishuku samurai procession) (Shibukawa City, Sengoku period)
Early August: Kodai (ancient) Gyoretsu@Tachibana Furusato Matsuri Festival (Tachibana hometown festival) (Shibukawa City, Kofun period)
Early October: Kitsune no Yomeiri Gyoretsu (fox wedding parade) (Takasaki City, Edo-Meiji periods)
Late October: Taisho Jidai Matsuri Festival (Taisho era festival) (Chuo Ward, Saitama City, Meiji-prewar Showa periods)
Southern Kanto
Mid-April: Ooka Echizen Sai Festival (Chigasaki City, Daimyo)
May 3: Hojo Godai Matsuri Festival (Hojo five generations festival) (Odawara City, Sengoku period)
Mid-October: Dokan Matsuri Festival (Isehara City, Kamakura-Sengoku periods)
November 3: Tokyo Jidai Matsuri Festival (Taito Ward, Heian-Showa periods)
Early November: Kokubunji Matsuri Festival (Kokubunji City, Nara-Kamakura periods)
Early November: Haniwa Matsuri Festival (Shibayama-cho, Kofun period)
Koshinetsu
Saturday immediately before April 12: Shingen-ko Matsuri Festival (Kofu City, Sengoku period)
May 3: Kitsune no Yomeiri Gyoretsu (Aga-machi, Edo-Meiji periods)
November 23: Bunka Bunsei Fuzoku Emaki (picture scrolls of customs in the Bunka-Bunsei eras) (Nagiso-machi, Edo period)
Tokai
Early April: Himesama Dochu (Princess Road Procession) (Kita Ward, Hamamatsu City, Daimyo)
Late April: Enshu Daimyo Gyoretsu (Iwata City, Daimyo)
Early June: Saio Matsuri Festival (Meiwa-cho (Mie Prefecture), Heian period)
3rd Sunday of September: Shimada Mage Matsuri Festival (Shimada City, Edo period)
Early October: Nagoya Matsuri Festival (Naka Ward, Nagoya City, Sengoku period)
Hokuriku
Early June: Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Matsuri Festival (Kanazawa City, Sengoku-Edo periods)
Late April: Fukui Spring Festival Echizen Historical Costume Parade (Fukui City, the period of the Northern and Southern Courts-late Edo/Meiji periods)
May 15: Aoi-matsuri Festival (Shimogamo-jinja Shrine, Kamigamo-jinja Shrine (Kyoto City), Heian period)
Late September: Saigu Gyoretsu Procession (Nonomiya-jinja Shrine (Kyoto City), Heian period)
4th Monday of September: Kushi Matsuri (Comb Festival) (Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine (Kyoto City), Kofun-Showa periods, modern apprentice geisha)
October 22: Jidai Matsuri Festival (Heian Jingu Shrine (Kyoto City), early Heian-Meiji periods)
Other Jidai Gyoretsu in Kansai
Late March: Aino Tsuchiyama Saio Gunko (Tsuchiyama Saio Princess Procession) (Koka City, Heian period)
April: Genji Matsuri Festival (Kawanishi City, late Heian-Kamakura periods)
Chugoku and Shikoku
May 3: Tosa Ichijo Kuge Gyoretsu (costumed procession of Ichijo family in Tosa, court nobles) (Shimanto City, Heian period)
2nd Sunday of November: Shukuba Matsuri Festival (Yakage-cho, Edo period)
Kyushu
Mid-November: Shiiba Heike Matsuri Festival (Shiiba Village, late Heian period)