Kyoto events in December 2026

There are 314 events listed for December 2026 (114 festivals, 85 exhibitions, 43 performances, 26 illuminations, 17 markets, 16 gardens, 6 sports events, 5 anime and games events and 2 food events). The big dates are Nagara Wada: Men's Tea Party (4 to 6 Dec), THE GIFT BOX 2026 (5 to 6 Dec), Daikon-daki at Senbon Shakado (7 to 8 Dec), Seikan-ki Shomyo Service at Chion-in (10 to 11 Dec), Dumb Type: 2020 (11 to 13 Dec) and Bambio Illumination 2026 (11 Dec to 11 Jan). 302 have confirmed dates and 12 are annual events whose exact 2026 dates are still to be announced, shown with the usual window. Every listing links to the interactive map.

21 autumn openings and light-ups are listed for December 2026, among them Ninna-ji 'Sea of Clouds' Autumn Light-up (24 Oct to 13 Dec), Sagano Romantic Train Autumn Light-up (24 Oct to 29 Dec), Autumn Leaves Season at Tofuku-ji (14 Nov to 6 Dec), Chion-in Autumn Light-up (17 Nov to 6 Dec) and Eikan-do Autumn Light-up (20 Nov to 6 Dec). The autumn colour page maps the temples and gardens.

23 light-ups are listed for December 2026, among them Ninna-ji 'Sea of Clouds' Autumn Light-up (24 Oct to 13 Dec), Sagano Romantic Train Autumn Light-up (24 Oct to 29 Dec), To-ji Autumn Light-up and Night Viewing (31 Oct to 13 Dec), Chion-in Autumn Light-up (17 Nov to 6 Dec) and Eikan-do Autumn Light-up (20 Nov to 6 Dec).

For New Year's Eve the listings are Okera Mairi at Yasaka Shrine (31 Dec), New Year's Eve Bell at Tenryu-ji (31 Dec), New Year's Eve Bell at Mibu-dera (31 Dec), New Year's Eve Bell at Chishaku-in (31 Dec) and New Year's Eve Bell at Daigo-ji (31 Dec).

In December Kyoto averages a high of 12°C (53°F) and a low of 4°C (38°F), with 57 mm of rain on about 7 days. Those are the Japan Meteorological Agency's averages for 1991 to 2020 at its Kyoto station, counting days with at least 1 mm of rain.

40 festivals are listed for December 2026, among them Autumn Leaves Stamp Rally at Nijo Castle (23 Oct to 6 Dec), Daikon-daki at Senbon Shakado (7 to 8 Dec), Seikan-ki Shomyo Service at Chion-in (10 to 11 Dec), Year-end Dust Cleaning at Nishi Honganji (20 Dec) and Omi-nugui-shiki at Chion-in (25 Dec). Smaller local festivals are under Around the neighbourhoods, further down the page.

Yes. 48 of the 314 events listed for December 2026 are free to attend, including Nishiyama Hanatoro: Kinkeien Light-up at Nagaoka Tenmangu (14 Nov to 6 Dec), Agnes Illumination 2026 (20 Nov to 25 Dec) and Year-end Dust Cleaning at Nishi Honganji (20 Dec).

Some colour lasts into the first days of the month. To-ji's Kobo-ichi on the 21st and the Tenjin-san market on the 25th are the year's last monthly markets, and on 31 December temples across the city ring their bells at midnight for joya no kane.

Dated events are checked against the organiser's own page, and finished events drop off the page on their own. Annual events further out carry their usual dates until the official ones are published.