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Yoroi Toshikoshi Festival

(Setsubun Yoroi Toshikoshi)

節分鎧年越(足利市)

Your chance to be a ‘Real Samurai’ nearby Tokyo

Due to Covid-19, the 2022 event has been canceled.

Date

2022: CANCELED

2023: 3rd of February

*Dates and times have not been confirmed by the organizer.

Time

18:00~20:00

*Samurai parade starts at 18:30.

*Dates and times have not been confirmed by the organizer.

Schedule

*All dates & activities are subject to change due to weather and/or unforeseen circumstances.

Cost

Free to watch
If you want to wear actual samurai armor and participate in the procession there is a cost including fees. It depends on the rank of the armor and for an adult, it is between 12,000 yen – 33,000 yen (Booking needed!)

*Prices are from 2019 season

How to enjoy the Yoroi Toshikoshi Festival (Samurai Festival)

Picturesque scenery
(Great for Instagram pics!)

Experience Traditional Japan

Suitable for children

Fun for the family

Enjoy for 2 hours (watching)

⚔️👹 750 Years Old Samurai Tradition👹⚔️
‘Setsubun Yoroitoshikoshi’ in Ashikaga City

🏯🏹Travel back to 750 years ago and see about 200 ⚔️Samurai Warriors march down from Orihime Community Center to Bannaji Temple (about 1.3km long) on February 3rd,2019!

Men, women, and children in 🏹battle uniforms will march while playing traditional instruments. The march almost looks as if it just came out of the 📖history book…

🏮This tradition began about 750 years ago when the grandchild of a very strong samurai commander Ashikaga, started to gather 500 samurai soldiers at Bannaji Temple to represent the unity and 💪strength of the clan.

What to do nearby the Yoroi Toshikoshi Festival (Samurai Festival)

– Local recommendations –

Unique Experience

  • Become a Samurai (Booking needed)

Culture

  • Rent a Kimono and walk around the town
  • Visit the oldest school in Japan ‘Ashikaga Gakko’

Food / Drinks

  • Visit a local winery
  • Try Sano Ramen in Sano
  • Try the local ‘Potato Yakisoba’

Family Fun

  • Go pick Strawberries
  • Visit the famous Ashikaga Flower Park
  • Visit the Outlet Mall in Sano

How to get to the Yoroi Toshikoshi Festival (Samurai Festival)

By Train

From JR Ashikaga Station (JR Ryomo Line)

15 min walk.

From Tobu Ashikaga-shi Station (Tobu Isesaki Line)

15 min walk.

By Car

10mins drive from Kita-kanto Expressway (Kita-kanto Jidoshado) Ashikaga IC, or 15 mins drive from Kita-kanto Expressway (Kita-kanto Jidoshado) Ota Kiryu IC.

Start Address
(Ashikaga-shi Orihime Kouminkan)

6-3165-1 Tori, Ashikaga-shi, Tochigi Pref. Japan 326-0814
〒326-0814 栃木県足利市通6丁目3165-1

See the parade route below (from left to right).

Other Events in February

Ashikaga Samurai Festival Yoroi Toshikoshi Matsuri
Yoroi Toshikoshi Festival (Samurai Festival) – 1 hour 20min from Tokyo
Become a samurai at Yoroi Toshikoshi (Ashikaga Samurai Festival) in Ashikaga (Ashikaga City / 足利市)
Find out more
Yunishigawa Snow Igloo Festival (Kamakura Matsuri) – 3 hours from Tokyo
Spend a romantic evening at the Yunishigawa Snow Igloo Festival, Kamakura Matsuri. (Nikko / 日光市)
Find out more
Mito no Ume Matsuri (Mito Plum Blossom Festival) near Tokyo
Mito Plum Blossom Festival (Mito no Ume Matsuri)/水戸の梅まつり – 1.5 hrs from Tokyo
Mito Plum Blossom Festival celebrates early spring with lovely plum blossoms. Visit Kairakuen, one of Japan's Greatest Gardens! (Mito city / 水戸市)
Find out more
Astonishing beauty of illuminations at Ashikaga Flower Park
Illuminations at Ashikaga Flower Park(Oct-Feb) /あしかがフラワーパーク – 1 hour 30min from Tokyo
This winter, come and enjoy the astonishing illuminations at Ashikaga Flower Park, voted No.1 in Japan! (Ashikaga City / 足利市)
Find out more

Contact

Any questions about this event?

For information about this event please contact the Tourist Office directly.

Tel: +81 0284-43-3000 (Tourist Office)

Tel: +81 0284-41-2627 (Bannaji Temple )

Email: Contact form for tourist office (External Link)

Web: English Website (External Link)

Web: Yoroi Toshikoshi website (Japanese, External Link),  Japanese Event Website 2 (External Link)

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