The Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine has been hosting this three day festival for over 800 years and it features traditional folk dancing, parades and Shinto ceremonies.  The highlight of the festival is the samurai archery exhibition, known as yabusame, on September 16th, where participants take aim at targets while galloping down a narrow path on horseback in traditional attire.   I had the privilege of seeing my first yabusame exhibition this April in Tokyo and it’s something that I would highly recommend.  The energy of the horses, the traditional attire and the excitement of the onlookers when one of the archers shatters a target makes for a fun and exciting outing.

The combination of yabusame, traditional dancing, parades and other activities at the Reitaisai festival make is a great way for visitors with limited time to see it all in one place! The Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine is located near Kamakura Station, about an hour south of Tokyo, and can be reached via the JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station or the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line from Shinjuku Station. (area map PDF, see page 5)

For those who want to take in all three days of the Reitaisai festival, be sure to read 5 Zen Temples and Big Buddha in Kamakura for more great sights in the area and a hotel recommendation.

Image Credit:  Wikimedia, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-Shrine 06 & Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

A great photo of a rainy Shibuya crossing was featured at Intelligent Travel.

Learn more than you ever wanted to know about Japanese socks including why they are good for the health of your feet.

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Innovation in Japan is being held back by an ageing population.

This week marked the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. 

Lastly, don’t forget to participate in the Japan Blog Matsuri by submitting your Impressions of Tokyo by August 20th. I am really looking forward to reading all of the great submissions to this recently revived blog carnival.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Phone call from Harajuku

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler