Seven Historic Festivals You Can Parade in Wearing Armor

The Hagi Jidai Parade, the main event of the “Hagi Jidai Festival” held in the historical city of Hagi, features as many as 200 people dressed as Edo period warriors, princesses, and various people associated with the castle as they pass before your eyes. The highlight of the event is a performance that can be enjoyed at key locations around the city. You can also see rare traditional performances such as the “Choshu Ippon Yari,” in which a 5.5-meter-long spear is manipulated with great skill.

Anyone can participate in this festival, just sign up on the website and gather at the designated location! Borrow a costume, join the procession, and step back in time to a world of samurai.

The Matsue Warrior Procession recreates the scene of Lord Horio Yoshiharu, who built Matsue Castle, a national treasure, and his retainers entering the castle. A total of 200 samurai and princesses parade through the streets of Matsue during the beautiful cherry blossom season.

The most impressive part of this historical picture scroll, which shows the prosperity of 400 years ago, is a speech by Yoshiharu and the samurai's powerful shouts of “kachidoki,” that the samurai raise when they have won a battle. You can be a part of the procession by participating in a practice session held a month before the event!

Shizuoka City is home to Sunpu Castle, where Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Japan's most famous historical figures, lived for many years.

The Shizuoka Festival is a history-themed festival that has been held since 1957, based on the legend that Ieyasu took his retainers to view cherry blossoms. Participate in the historical procession by applying in advance. You can enjoy the fireworks and cherry blossom viewing while participating in the festival.

Uesugi Kenshin was a military commander who ruled Echigo Province, located in present-day Niigata, in the mid-1500s. He was a noble, righteous, and hard-nosed war hero.

The Lord Kenshin Festival is based on an anecdote that Kenshin invited his people to Kasuga-yama Castle once a year to thank them for their daily labor. The highlight of the festival is a re-enactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima, in which Kenshin took part. Tourists can also participate in the re-enactment if they are accompanied by a guide, making it a rare opportunity to relive the time of the samurai!

The Sendai Aoba Festival is a civic festival in honor of Lord Date Masamune. He was called Dokuganryu (the one-eyed dragon) because he lost sight in one eye at a young age. He was one of the most popular military commanders in Japan who loved fashion and culture.

Highlights of the festival include a parade of warriors in heroic armor, a procession of portable shrines and children, and a parade of 11 magnificent floats. Participation is possible with advance registration. There is also a full lineup of gourmet foods, in honor of Lord Masamune, who was a gourmand. Enjoy seeing, hearing, and eating.

Sekigahara, Gifu, was the site of the Battle of Sekigahara, one of the most important battles of the Warring States Period in Japan from the 15th to 16th centuries. The Battle of Sekigahara Festival is a festival that recreates this battle and attracts many history fans. Focusing on recreating the battle as it was in those days, rather than being spectacular, the festival features powerful battle scenes.

Participation is possible with advance registration through the website and many people come back to participate every year. Feel like a period drama actor and go back in time to the moment when Japan's history took an important turn!

If you want to see a large-scale samurai parade, the Shingen-ko Festival is definitely the place to be, with 1,600 people partaking in the parade. The festival, held annually on April 12, the anniversary of Shingen's death, is dedicated to Takeda Shingen, the Yamanashiwarlord, and recreates his departure for the historically famous Battle of Kawanakajima, in which he participated.

On the day of the festival, over 1,000 people dressed as troops gather from all over the prefecture at Maizuru Castle Park. Famous actors play the role of Shingen, and some of the troops are open to tourists. Whether you just watch or participate, the spectacular warrior parade will be a great memory.