Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Yabusame Ritual

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu's Annual Grand Festival is held in all its grandeur across three days, from September 14th to 16th each year. On the final day, the 16th, the "Yabusame Ritual" is known especially to draw a crowd from all around.

"Yabusame" is a traditional martial art that combines horse riding and archery, where the practitioner shoots arrows at targets while riding a horse. Due to its difficulty, it is considered the "ultimate martial art."

The Yabusame ritual at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu began with a dedication by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1187 praying for peace and prosperity in the realm. Since then, the custom has continued here for over 800 years. Today, the ritual are carried out by the Ogasawara school of horse-back archery at the autumn festival.

Once at the Yabusame ritual you’ll find archers dressed like Kamakura samurai run through a course of about 250 meters (140 ken) on horseback, shooting arrows at three targets in succession. Swing by for a truly firsthand experience to see gallant samurai culture at its peak.