Photo= The Festival of Ages held on October 22, 2016. It has been decided to hold it on October 26 next year (Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto)

By September 25, Heian Kosha, an organization to manage the "Jidai Matsuri," or Festival of Ages which is one of Kyoto's three main festivals, decided to hold next year's event on October 26. It is usually held on October 22. However, the "Sokuirei Seiden no Gi," or Enthronement Ceremony, which is the main ceremony for the accession of the new emperor, will be held in the Imperial Palace on October 22, so the organization changed it to avoid the festival falling on the same day. The Festival of Ages will be postponed for the first time since 1933 for a reason other than rain.

On September 20, officers of Heian Kosha which consists of worshipers at Heian Jingu Shrine, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, and others gathered to discuss next year's schedule. They decided to postpone the festival in order to celebrate the accession of the new emperor together as citizens. They also considered that it would be difficult for the Kyoto Prefecture governor and Kyoto City mayor to attend the festival if it were held on October 22. The new date for the event is Saturday, October 26 as it is a day on which attendants and spectators can easily gather after October 22. In case of rain, the festival will be postponed until October 27. It will be cancelled if it also rains on October 27.

The Festival of Ages has been postponed fourteen times in the past and it was cancelled last year due to a typhoon. In 1933, the festival was put off because Emperor Showa visited Kyoto on October 22.

Chairman Junichi Hoonoki of Heian Kosha said, "The festival will be held four days later than usual next year, but we want to make it a grand celebration of the arrival of a new age."