The Kiyomori Festival, where the Heike clan parades through Miyajima, to be held for the first time in 5 years. Sato Toshihito will play the role of Kiyomori.

The annual event “The 20th Miyajima Kiyomori Festival,” which celebrates the achievements of Taira no Kiyomori, who laid the foundation for the tourist destination, Miyajima, will be held on March 24, 2024 (Sunday).

This traditional Miyajima event, which had been continuously canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held this year for the first time in five years.

About the Miyajima Kiyomori Festival:

The festival features a costume parade inspired by the “Genshima Shrine pilgrimage of the Taira clan,” where a procession of individuals dressed in Heian-era costumes such as warriors and courtly attire marches from Miyajima Pier Front Plaza to the Kiyomori Shrine. The event also includes an adorable children’s procession featuring 100 new first-year students.

The role of the main character, Taira no Kiyomori, is played by a prominent figure each year. This year, former Japanese soccer representative and longtime Sanfrecce Hiroshima player, Satoshi Sato, will assume the role. After stopping at Itsukushima Shrine along the way for worship, the procession proceeds to Kiyomori Shrine.

The Kiyomori Festival in Miyajima starts at 1:00 PM and is free to watch. If you are visiting Miyajima on the day of the festival, why not take a moment to stop and watch the procession, which is reminiscent of a Heian period scroll?