In the early Edo period, on September 6th, 1626 (Kan’ei 3), Kyoto witnessed a turning point—an age when peace felt tangible and culture began to flourish. After the turmoil of the Warring States era, feudal lords from across Japan gathered in the capital as the Tokugawa shogunate welcomed Emperor Go-Mizunoo in a magnificent five-day reception at Nijo Castle, showcasing its authority and prestige. This historic occasion is remembered as the Kan’ei Gyoko, the 1626 Imperial Visit to Nijo Castle.
Four hundred years later, in 2026, Kyoto will host the Kan’ei Gyoko 400th Anniversary Festival—an inspiring new celebration that invites us to reflect once more on peace and culture. A splendid reenactment procession will make its way from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Nijo Castle through the streets of modern Kyoto, alongside programs that revisit the rich “Kan’ei culture” that once blossomed here. Join us in Kyoto for a special time when hearts connect and culture comes into bloom once again.
In September 1626 (Kan’ei 3), eleven years after the Osaka Campaigns brought an end to an age of war, Tokugawa Hidetada—the retired second shogun—and Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun, welcomed Emperor Go-Mizunoo to Nijo Castle. For an emperor to leave the Kyoto Imperial Palace and pay an official visit to the castle of the warrior government was, at the time, without precedent. This moment marked a turning point in history, symbolizing the peace of the Edo period that would endure for more than two centuries.
In 2026, marking the 400th anniversary of the Kan’ei Gyoko, Kyoto will host the Kan’ei Gyoko 400th Anniversary Festival as a project of the Agency for Cultural Affairs Collaboration Platform—an all-Kyoto initiative that brings together government, the business community, and cultural and arts organizations. The festival will feature a grand reenactment of Emperor Go-Mizunoo’s Kan’ei Gyoko procession, alongside a range of programs that look back on the “Kan’ei culture” that flourished in Kyoto during the era.
Reenactment Procession
(planned)
