The appeal of Kyoto’s city festival, Saiin Fes

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• Music Festival Master / Editor-in-ChiefKeisuke Hane
  Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC and in charge of music festivals. When I attended my first music festival as a freshman in college, I was captivated by its charm—“I can’t believe there’s a place this free and this fun.” I share information about wonderful music festivals every day to help grow the community of festival fans.

What kind of festival is Saiin Fes?

First, let me introduce what kind of festival Saiin Fes is.

A music festival set in the Saiin neighborhood, held three times a year.

Saiin Fes is a music festival that has been held in the streets of Saiin, Kyoto since 2002.

Since 2017, the festival format has changed, and it is now a music festival held three times a year: “Spring Saiin Fest” in March, “The Saiin Fest” in August, and “Autumn Saiin Fest” in November.

There are four days in total: one day each in spring and autumn, and two days for the summer’s The Saiin Fest, during which the streets of Saiin are filled with music every day.

Whereas it had previously been held only for two days in summer, it has expanded to four days with the addition of spring and autumn, making it one of Kyoto’s popular events.

Will the stages even include restaurants and public baths in Saiin, and even inside the streetcars?!

Saiin Fes is a so-called circuit-style event held across multiple venues around town, such as live music clubs and bars.

However, as I’ve been calling Saiin Fes a “city festival,” it’s not just live houses and bars that regularly host music—there are performances at storefronts, public bathhouses, and even inside the Randen streetcars.It's truly an event where the entire Saiin neighborhood becomes the venue!

Because so many venues are set up in restaurants and facilities throughout the city, music fills the streets—that is probably the biggest hallmark of the Saiin Festival.

The appeal of the Saiin Festival

Now that I’ve introduced the Saiin Fes, I would like to share two of its attractions from here.

These two attractions share a common keyword, so please read while thinking about what it might be.

Like a local festival...

One of the biggest appeals of the Saiin Festival is the local, community festival-like atmosphere that pervades it.

Especially the live performances at Kasuga Shrine and Kasuga Kindergarten have a strong sense of the extraordinary, with a unique atmosphere like a local summer festival.

There are also food and drink stalls, and some are just like those you’d find at a summer festival—such as goldfish scooping and water balloon fishing—so it’s highly recommended to attend with your children.

Another major feature of the Saiin Fes is that it uses a pay-what-you-want (tip) system, and admission itself is free, making it easy to drop by.

If you stumble into a venue and discover new music that moves you, show your appreciation by tipping the live performance.

Community-based, all-genre lineup

At the Saiin Festival, artists from Kyoto, the local area, are primarily featured.

Some of the performers include musicians who have deep ties with us Rag.

And this is another major feature: musicians from a wide range of genres will be performing.

The lineup includes rock, jazz, blues, funk, and unplugged solo performances, offering something many people can enjoy.

In this way, Saiin Fes is perfectly described by the keyword “community-rooted,” with a local festival-like atmosphere and a wide range of musicians—centered around Kyoto—taking the stage.

It’s an event that people of all ages can enjoy, but I especially recommend it to music fans in Kyoto.

Breaking Report

At the 2017 summer The Saiin Fes, the Okoshiyasu Editorial Team will provide real-time breaking coverage of the live performances at one of the venues, Kasuga Kindergarten.

We’ll make sure to convey the venue’s atmosphere and the excitement of the live show to those who can’t attend in person!

Lastly

We have presented the appeal of the Saiin Festival, which is rooted in the local community.

A stage is set up in the city, and it’s a wonderful event where music fills the streets.

Admission is free, and it operates on a pay-what-you-wish (tip) basis, so it’s also a great spot to drop by casually.

Event data

Sun 11/23 The Saiin Fest

saifes.net

Saiin Fes is a free (tip-based) music festival held around Saiin in Kyoto. Since 2017, it has been held in spring, summer, and autumn. Not only live music venues but also cafes and shrines throughout the Saiin area become stages, filling the town with music for two days.