Kamakura Yabusame 2026: Horseback Archery Near Tokyo

September’s Reitaisai, not to be confused with the spring festival

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine holds Yabusame twice a year, and the two don’t carry equal weight if you’re planning a trip around this one. The Reitaisai, the shrine’s own grand annual festival, runs from 14 to 16 September 2026, with Yabusame closing out the final day. The Kamakura Matsuri, organised not by the shrine but by the city’s tourism board, is a spring event: its 2026 edition ran from 12 to 19 April, with its own Yabusame on Sunday the 19th, already over by the time this article went live, according to MatsuriMap.

The ritual itself dates back to 1187: archers dressed in Kamakura-era hunting attire fire three consecutive arrows, at full gallop, at three wooden targets set along a course of roughly 250 metres. « Steeped in over 800 years of history, this festival is a profound celebration of samurai culture », notes Exoticca. Japan’s government magazine frames it a little differently: « Yabusame is not a tournament with winners or rankings, the primary goal is for all archers to hit the three targets », explains Highlighting Japan.

One notable change on access: until 2023, paid wristbands (around ¥3,000) bought organised access to the Reitaisai. Since 2024, that system has been dropped for the September edition. Access is now entirely free, with no booking, on a first-come, first-served basis, as confirmed by Kanpai Japan and Kamakurasaiji.

Highlights

• Completely free access, no ticket or booking needed, since paid wristbands were scrapped in 2024
• The full ceremony runs from 1pm to around 3:30pm: the ritual at the Maiden hall, a procession, then the runs along the course
• An unbroken tradition since 1187, performed at Kamakura solely by the Ogasawara-ryu school

Yabusame itself can’t be booked: it’s a free ritual, open to everyone. If you’d rather spend the morning on a guided walk than exploring solo before the afternoon ritual, a walking tour of the historic centre is a solid option, especially one that already bundles in the Great Buddha.

From the ceremony at the Maiden hall to the gallop down the course

The Reitaisai programme spans three days: a purification vigil on the evening of 14 September, the main ceremony and mikoshi (portable shrine) procession on the 15th, then Yabusame on the 16th. On this last day, a Shinto ceremony is held first at the Maiden, the dance pavilion with its bright red pillars, where the archers are presented in traditional dress (kasa hat, shōzoku robes, igote sleeve guards embroidered with family crests). A procession, archers, flag-bearers, target-carriers, then makes its way to the course, where an official checks the track is safe before every run.

On the course, each archer gallops without ever slowing their horse, balanced on their legs alone (a technique known as tachisukashi), both hands busy with bow and arrow. At the moment of release, archers let out the ritual cry « In-Yo! » (陰陽, Yin-Yang), an invocation of harmony between opposing forces. The arrows used, whistling kaburaya, were originally meant to scare off evil spirits with their sound. The struck target boards become lucky charms much sought after by spectators, notes Wikipedia.

At Kamakura, this ritual is performed exclusively by the Ogasawara-ryu school, founded in 1187 when Minamoto no Yoritomo entrusted Ogasawara Nagakiyo with codifying the etiquette of archery and horsemanship. More than 850 years and 31 generations later, the school is now led by Ogasawara Kiyotada, with his son Kiyomoto gradually taking over supervision of the rituals. Japan’s government magazine has also documented, on several occasions since 2023, the challenges of passing on this discipline nationwide: a shortage of successors, the cost of keeping horses, according to Highlighting Japan. None of that points to anything imminent at Kamakura, where the institution remains solid, but it does add weight to what you’ll be watching: a living ritual, not a fixed folklore show.

Highlights

• Every archer gallops the full course without slowing, balanced on their legs alone
• The ritual cry « In-Yo! » rings out at every shot, an invocation of harmony between opposing forces
• It isn’t a competition: the shared goal is for every archer to hit their targets

Kamakura, about an hour by train from central Tokyo

Two lines run to Kamakura with no change needed from central Tokyo: the JR Yokosuka Line, departing Tokyo Station (via Shimbashi, Shinagawa and Yokohama), and the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line, from Shinjuku, Shibuya or Ikebukuro. Expect a 55-60 minute journey, for around ¥1,040 one-way depending on your starting station. One thing worth checking before you board: the train needs to show « Zushi » or « Kurihama » as its destination, otherwise you’ll need to change at Ofuna, according to JRailPass.

On the ground, an IC Suica or Pasmo card (or their tourist versions, Welcome Suica and Tourist Pasmo, available right from the airport) works tap-in/tap-out on every train and bus, with no need for single tickets. The national JR Pass covers both lines as far as Kamakura, but not the Enoden, the private line serving Hase and Enoshima: for this one round trip alone, a normal ticket usually works out cheaper than a JR Pass. Other recent changes affect travellers in Japan too, from the end of tax-free shopping to new visitor quotas: our full rundown on Japan in 2026 covers it all.

From Kamakura Station’s East Exit, allow 10-15 minutes on foot to the shrine, heading up Wakamiya Oji avenue or the parallel Komachi-dori shopping street. The station’s luggage lockers, limited in number, are often full on busy days, and 16 September will be one of them: the tourist information office at the West Exit, which takes luggage drop-offs with no booking, is a safer bet. On the international side, UK passport holders don’t need a visa for tourist stays under 90 days in Japan, just a valid passport, according to GOV.UK. Budget roughly £620-950 return from London in low season (spring, autumn), climbing past £1,000 during the summer school holidays, according to Kayak.

Highlights

• Ride direct by picking a train bound for Zushi or Kurihama, or change at Ofuna if it isn’t
• The JR Pass covers the line to Kamakura, but not the Enoden, the private line to Hase and Enoshima
• No visa needed for UK tourist stays under 90 days

Three viewing zones along the course, and a season to watch

Three zones stand out along the 250-metre course: near the first target, to catch the gallop setting off; near the second, level with Tsurugaoka kindergarten, where the horse hits top speed and the visual impact peaks; near the third, for the finish of each run. The Maiden, with its bright red pillars, makes the best photo backdrop for the opening ceremony, but it isn’t the spot to watch the gallop. One Japanese source offers a counterintuitive tip: standing back slightly for a wider view can be more satisfying than a strict front-row spot, especially with children in tow, according to Hitofushi.

For a front-row spot, aim to arrive between 10am and 10:30am: past 12:30pm the best zones are already packed, and after 2-2:30pm the view from the back rows gets blocked by a wall of heads and raised phones. Mats and folding chairs are allowed once you’re in place, but umbrellas are banned once the ritual starts, so they don’t block other spectators’ view. Sun cream and water are essential: mid-September stays warm and humid in Kamakura, with temperatures still around 21-26°C.

Another good reason to aim for a Wednesday over a weekend: Kamakura drew close to 15.9 million visitors in 2024, a post-pandemic record, driven partly by the K-drama boom and by the anime Slam Dunk, whose Kamakurakoukou-mae level crossing has become such a photo pilgrimage site that dedicated guardrails had to be installed, according to Travel And Tour World. A new ¥150 accommodation tax is also due to take effect from October 2026, just weeks after the Reitaisai. This isn’t autumn-leaf (momiji) season either, which peaks more towards late November and early December, including over in Kyoto: in mid-September, Kamakura is still in the grip of late-summer heat, without autumn’s colour palette.

One last thing to watch: 16 September falls right in the middle of Japan’s typhoon season, which typically brings two to three systems across the archipelago between August and October. No systematic postponement policy has been identified, as Shinto rituals traditionally carry on through light rain, but the shrine does occasionally post notices in case of severe weather. It’s worth checking official channels in the days before you travel.

Highlights

• The second target offers the most spectacular view, as the horse hits top speed there
• A September Wednesday remains the best window to dodge the crowds of a weekend Kamakura Matsuri
• No systematic cancellation for light rain, but notices go up in cases of severe weather

A full day out, built around the ritual’s timing

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kotoku-in), an 11.3-metre bronze seated statue cast in 1252, has stood in the open air ever since the tsunami that followed the 1498 Meiō earthquake destroyed the hall that once housed it, according to Wikipedia. Entry costs ¥300 (a further ¥20 to step inside the statue), and an early arrival helps you dodge the tour groups. Nearby, the temple Hasedera, founded in 736, holds a gilded statue of Kannon and the Benten-Kutsu cave, where a torch helps you view the figurines of the Seven Lucky Gods. Entry: ¥400.

Between the station and the shrine, the pedestrian street Komachi-dori (360 metres, around 250 shops) has the highest concentration of restaurants in the area. The local speciality worth trying, available from April to December, is shirasu-don, a bowl of rice topped with whitebait from Sagami Bay, alongside classics like dango, bamboo-charcoal ice cream or taiyaki.

Yabusame day calls for a bit of juggling: since the ritual takes up the 1pm-3:30pm slot, it’s best to keep the morning free for the shrine (free entry) and Komachi-dori, then switch to the Great Buddha and Hasedera in the late afternoon, before they close, generally around 5-5:30pm, or save them for the next day if you’re staying over. For travellers with a bit more time, the Daibutsu hiking trail (2.5-3km, beginner level) links Jōchi-ji temple, near Kita-Kamakura, to Kotoku-in, and you can extend on to Enoshima in a 25-minute ride on the Enoden. If instead you’re after another escape from Tokyo to round out the trip, Hakone, with its onsens and views of Mount Fuji, offers a complete contrast to Kamakura’s historic atmosphere.

Highlights

• The Great Buddha has stood in the open air ever since the 1498 tsunami destroyed the hall that housed it
• Komachi-dori has the highest concentration of restaurants between the station and the shrine
• On Yabusame day, it’s best to save the Great Buddha and Hasedera for late afternoon or the next day