[A gorgeous and luxurious reproduction of a Heian picture scroll! The 41st Saio Festival will be held in Meiwa MeiwaTown Prefecture on Saturday, June 1, 2024!]

Article production / Mie Travel Ambassador Takuya Kiriyama
Photo provided by: Kiyotaka Morimoto MeiwaTown Tourism Ambassador

▼Table of contents

• What is the Saio Festival?
• History of the Saio Festival
• Highlights of the Saio Festival
• Highlight 1: Departure Ceremony
• Highlight ②: Saiō Procession (afternoon)
• Highlight 3: Shrine Ceremony
• Highlight 4: Saiou Procession (Night)
• Saiō Festival Schedule (When is it held? What time does it start?)
• Access to Saio Festival and parking information
• How was it?
• Surrounding spot information
• Saiku Heian no Mori
• Take Shrine
• ItsukinomiyaHallforHistorical
• Itsuki Chaya, a resting place at the site of saikuu, a nationally designated historic site
• saikuu 's iris colony

*Please follow good manners and enjoy your sightseeing so that everyone will want to visit again.

*The photos in this article are from before 2023, except for the photo of the Saiō Matsuri casting selection meeting in March 2024.
The author also participated in the Saiō Festival, and the photographs taken during the festival were kindly provided by MeiwaTown Tourism Ambassador, Kiyotaka Morimoto.

▼What is the Saio Festival?

The Saio Festival is held annually in Meiwa MeiwaTown, Mie Prefecture, andHeian period.is a spectacular and extravagant festival in which over 100 participants re-create scenes from the

The highlight is the SaioFrom Kyoto to IseRecreating the scene of a group of people"Departure Ceremony (Misogi-no-gi/Hatsusen-no-gi),The Saiou procession and the shrine ceremonyin,The sight is truly striking, reminiscent of the imperial picture scrolls of the Heian period.

It is also a grand festival that is bustling with many stalls, food trucks, and a wide range of live events, making it fun for people of all ages, from children to adults.

The Saio Festival is planned and managed by the Saio Festival Executive Committee, and all participants are volunteers. The role of the Saio and the participants in the Saio procession are selected through public auditions, so it is a festival that is participatory and created by everyone.

▼The History of the Saio Festival

saikuu in Meiwa-cho, MeiwaTown was once the residence of the Saiō, who served IseJingu. There was a palace, a place to worship the gods, and buildings for the officials who managed saikuu. Excavations at saikuu ruins have been conducted here since 1970.

Thus, in saikuu, an area deeply connected to the Saiō, the Saiō Festival was started in 1983by a local women's association, with the aim of "worshiping the Saiō."

A Saio is an unmarried princess chosen to serve at IseJingu on behalf of the Emperor.

Each time a new Emperor was appointed,he was sent from Kyoto to Ise (saikuu).

For more information on saikuu and Saiō, please see this Mie Tourism page!

 "What are saikuu and Saiō? Introducing them through museums, experience facilities and historical sites!"

"Nationally designated historic site: saikuu ruins"

The "Saio Procession," which recreates the scene of the Saio being dispatched from Kyoto to Ise, beganthe third festival (1985), and it was not until the seventh festival (1989) at that the procession began to be dressed in Heian period costumes as it is today.​

Initially, the roles of the Saio and court ladies were selected from MeiwaTown, but from the 13th competition (1995), applications were open to the general public from within and outside the town, and from the 18th competition (2000), a selection meeting was held to decide the role of the Saio from among applicants who passed a document screening process.

Due to the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic from 2020 to 2021,only the Hiogi Inheritance was held in 2020 and the event was canceled completely in 2021. However, it is set to resume in 2022, and this year in 2024 will mark the 41st time it has been held.

For this year's Saio Festival, a casting selection meeting was held at ItsukinomiyaHallforHistorical in March, and the role of the Saio (the 39th Saio) and other performers were decided.

The role of Saio will be handed over from the previous Saio, so it will be exciting to see what kind of Saio Festival this year will be.

▼Highlights of the Saio Festival

of the Saio Festival are the "Departure Ceremony (Misogi Ceremony and Hatsuse Ceremony), Saio Procession, and Shrine Ceremony," which recreate the procession ofthe Saio from the capital of KyototoIse (saikuu), andThe main attractions are a major highlight of the festival.

The story takes place in the saikuu ruins, a Japanese Heritage site and nationally designated historic site, and the sight of the imperial picture scroll unfolding in gorgeous Heian period costumes is truly breathtaking!

The 40th Saio Festival was held last year in 2023 under clear skies, butsome of the content was changed due to bad weather the day before, sowe will introducethe highlights of the past two Saio Festivals.

Highlight 1: Departure Ceremony

Hiogi Succession: The hiogi tradition is passed on from the previous Saio to the new Saio.

(The photo aboveshows the 40th Saiō Festival, but this year, due to bad weather the day before, the plannedKamizono Lawn Square could not be used, so thefestival was held at Saiku Heian-no-Mori instead.)

(The photo aboveshows the fan handover ceremonyat the 39th Saio Festivalheld atthe Kamizono Lawn Square.)

Misogi no Gi: A ritual in which the Saio purifies herself.

　(The photo above isKamizono Lawn Squarewas held inThis is a scene from the purification ceremony at the 39th Saio Festival.

　(At the 40th Saiō Festival,Due to the bad weather the previous dayBecause the Kamizono Lawn Square could not be usedThe "Misogi Ritual" will be changed to "Kirinusa" at Saiku Heian no Mori.became.)

The ceremony of dispatch: As the Saio leaves the capital of Kyoto for Ise (saikuu), a document of dispatch is read out.

(The photo above shows the 40th Saiō Festival, which was held at Saiku Heian no Mori.)

　This year's departure ceremony for the 41st Saio Festival (Hiogi Inheritance, Purification Ceremony, and Departure Ceremony) is scheduled to be held in Saio Forest.

Highlight ②: Saiō Procession (afternoon)

　The daytime saikuurecreates the six-day, five-night procession of the Saio from Kyoto to Ise (Saigū)(the photo aboveshows the scene at the 40th Saio Festival).

　It is quite a colorful procession(the photo aboveis from the 40th Saio Festival).

　This year's 41st Saio Festival's Saio Procession (afternoon) is scheduled to take just under an hour, covering the Saio Forest - Ise Kaido (passing by Takejinja Shrine) - Saiku Heian no Mori course.

Highlight 3: Shrine Ceremony

　Shrine Ceremony: The provincial governor of Ise welcomes the Saio entourage(the photo aboveshows the scene at the 40th Saio Festival).

This year's Shrine Head Ceremony for the 41st Saio Festival is scheduled to be held at Saiku Heian no Mori.

Highlight 4: Saiou Procession (Night)

At the previous,40th Saiō Festival,lights were lit at night anda mini processioncalled the Moonlight Processionwas heldat Saiku Heian-no-Mori(the photo above showswhat it was like at that time).

　the 41stSaio Festival, there will also be a Saio procession at night.At

　The planned course is Saio Forest - Restored Road - Saiku Heian Forest, and it looks like there will be plenty of time to enjoy the night procession.

　The night stage is also fantastical and glamorous(the photo aboveis from the 40th Saio Festival).

　This time too, a fantastic nighttime Heian picture scroll is planned to unfold, so it is sure to be a day where viewers and participants alike will feel as if they have traveled back in time to the Heian period!!

▼Saio Festival Schedule (When is it held? What time does it start?)

The 41stSaio Festival will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at saikuu in MeiwaTown Prefecture (will be canceled in case of rain).

The event will take place at various locations around the north side of saikuu Station, and the location will vary depending on the content of the event, but the main schedule is planned to be as follows (this may vary slightly depending on the progress of the event).

11:00~ Saio City Itsukinomiya Market [Saiku Heian no Mori area]

13:00～Departure Ceremony (Hiogi succession, purification ceremony, departure ceremony) [Saiono Forest Venue]

13:50 ~ Saio Procession (afternoon) [Saio Forest Venue ~Saiku Heian Forest Venue]

14:45 ~Shrine Ceremony [Saiku Heian no Mori Venue]

15:00 ~ Live event [Saiku Heian no Mori venue]

19:10 ~ Saio Procession(Night) [Saio Forest Venue ~Saiku Heian Forest Venue]

20:30 ~ Fireworks

The venue map and the route of the Saio procession are as follows, but each venue is within walking distance.

　Please note that on the day of the festival, roads and entrances will be crowded, so please allow yourself plenty of time when traveling.

Note:The Saio Festival will be cancelled in the event of rain.

If the event is cancelled due to bad weather, etc., it will be posted on this website at 7am on the day of the event.

　　　The 41st Saio Festival ~Remember the first prayer~

▼Access to Saio Festival and parking information

Location: Saigū, MeiwaTown saikuu (Around the north side of Kintetsu saikuu Station, Saiō no Mori to Saiku Heian no Mori)

Access by train:

・Approximately 5 minutes walk from saikuu Saiku Station

*Only local trains stop at saikuu Station.

Please note that if you are using a limited express or express train, you will need to transfer to a local train at Kintetsu Matsusaka Station or IseCity Station.

Access by car:

・Approximately 8 km from Tamaki IC on the Ise Expressway, approximately 15 minutes by car

・Approximately 18km from Matsusaka IC on the Ise Expressway, approximately 35 minutes by car

　*Temporary parking lots will be set up at the Kamizono Lawn Square and SaikuHistoricalMuseum, but they are expected to be very crowded.

　(The parking lots around Saiku Heian no Mori and Itsukinomiya Community Center cannot be used.)

　*Please note that there will be no shuttle bus service this year, so we recommend using public transportation (trains).

How was it?

In this article, we have introduced the 41st Saio Festival along with photos from past Saio Festivals.

The Saiō Festivalis a "festival created by everyone" that is organized by volunteers from planning to running. I have had the opportunity to have valuable experiences as a performer since the 34th festival, and Iam grateful to be able to be involved in such a grand festival.

If you have an interest in the magnificent Saio Festival, we hope you will come and see it.

Also, around the time of the Saio Festival saikuuthe beautiful deep purple flowers of the Japanese iris will be in bloom at the Saigū ruins, so you will be able to enjoy the flowers of saikuu as well.

Finally, we will introduce some spots around saikuu, so please use this as reference when visiting Meiwa MeiwaTown, Mie Prefecture.

Surrounding spot information

Saiku Heian no Mori

the saikuu-ryōchō(main hall, east hall, and west hall) whichwas restored at the site of saikuu.This is

It is also the venue for the Saio Festival.

Take Shrine

Hanachozu is beautiful, and it is also lit up on full moon nights (Full Moon Festival).

Before the Saio Festival begins, prayers for safety are held at this shrine.

ItsukinomiyaHallforHistorical

You can take part in hands-on classes to learn about the annual events, techniques, and culture of the Heian period, try on traditional costumes, and experience ancient games. The selection committee for performers in the Saio Festival parade is also held here.

Itsuki Chaya, a resting place at the site of saikuu, a nationally designated historic site

It is located opposite ItsukinomiyaHallforHistorical.You can buy souvenirs from MeiwaTown and also eat here. Photos of the Saio roles of the past are displayed inside the store.

saikuu 's iris colony

Located about 2 kilometers away from saikuu ruins, the deep purple flowers bloom around early June andare a nationally designated natural monument.