🎎 Izumo Iwabi Shrine Nagayaburuma Festival

The Yabusame Festival is a ritual of the deities at Izumo Ibaraki Shrine and has been a traditional event for over 950 years. It is said to have originated from a dedication ceremony of Yabusame held by Minamoto no Yoshie after pacifying the Oshu region, as a way to thank the gods. Currently, the Yabusame Festival is held twice a year, in spring (on the second Sunday of March) and in autumn (on November 3rd). The Yabusame Festival, held in the shrine's dedicated horse grounds during both seasons, is quite rare in Japan. During the autumn Yabusame Festival, one horse, two horses, and three horses are selected on the day of the main festival to participate in the mounted archery competition. The riders participating in Yabusame are young boys selected from local elementary and middle schools, showcasing their archery skills that they have trained repeatedly before the festival. On a course of about 200 meters, the spirited youths gallop while shooting arrows with their bows. When they hit the target, thunderous applause erupts from the audience. Having young boys as riders is a significant feature of the Yabusame Festival at Izumo Ibaraki Shrine. Additionally, the vibrant and splendid costumes and the impressive equestrian skills are also major highlights.

A traditional event that has continued for over 950 years. One of the major features of the Izumo Ibaraki Shrine Yabusame Festival is that young boys serve as riders. Spectators can enjoy watching the impressive sight of these boys galloping on horseback and shooting arrows while bending their bows. It is possible to closely observe the riders' spectacular equestrian performances. The vibrant and extravagant costumes are also a highlight of the festival.