Yasaka Shrine: When to Visit, Gion Matsuri and Night Lanterns

Yasaka Shrine is free and open 24 hours, at the top of Gion's main street. It's busiest from 10 am to 6 pm and on 1-3 January. Come early morning for quiet, or after dark, when hundreds of lanterns light the dance stage. In July, it hosts the Gion Matsuri, with the huge float parades on 17 and 24 July, and the evenings before (Yoiyama) bring enormous crowds.