Ahead of the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages)—one of Kyoto’s three major festivals—newly restored and recreated costumes were unveiled on October 5, 2026, at Heian Jingu Shrine in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto. Among them is the costume of Natsuka Masaie, a senior retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of the "Five Commissioners" (Go-bugyo); it has been recreated for the first time in 52 years, featuring a vibrant red hue known as *suō-ji*.
In the Azuchi-Momoyama period section of the festival procession, the Five Commissioners—including Ishida Mitsunari—appear in special attire worn when visiting the Imperial Court. These costumes are so magnificent that they are described as being for a "grand, auspicious day." However, the *hō* (outer robe) belonging to Natsuka Masaie had suffered from wear and damage. It was recreated at a cost of 580,000 yen, restoring its original splendor, with *paulownia-and-arabesque* patterns shimmering across the silk fabric.
Also unveiled were restored items for the Heian-period women’s procession, including the *karaginu* (outer robe) worn by the figure representing Ono no Komachi, as well as the upper garments worn by her attendants. In total, 250 items—including these—were newly created or restored this year at a cost of approximately 8.8 million yen.
The procession, which involves about 2,000 participants, is scheduled to depart from the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park (Kyoto Gyoen) in Kamigyo Ward at noon on October 22. In the event of rain, it will be postponed until the following day. Keiji Yamada, head of the Heian Kōsha—the organization that hosts the Jidai Matsuri—remarked, "I want as many people as possible to see the history and the magnificence of Kyoto."
