Setsubun (Feb 3): Bean-throwing ceremony at temples and shrines; geisha performances at Yasaka Shrine.
Aoi Matsuri (May 15): One of Kyoto's three great festivals — 500 Heian-costumed participants process from the Imperial Palace to Kamigamo Shrine. Free to watch along the route.
Gion Matsuri (entire July): Japan's most famous festival — elaborate float processions (Yamahoko-junko) on July 17 and 24, plus evening street fairs (yoiyama) on preceding nights. Naginata floats feature live traditional music.
Gozan Okuribi (Aug 16): Five mountainsides around Kyoto are lit with giant bonfires in Chinese characters to guide ancestral spirits home. Best viewed from the Kamo River banks.
Jidai Matsuri (Oct 22): Procession of 2,000 participants in period costumes spanning Kyoto's 1,200-year history, departing from the Imperial Palace.
Arashiyama Hanatouro (Dec): Nighttime illumination of the bamboo grove, Togetsu-kyo bridge, and temple paths with thousands of lanterns.