2026 Izaku Yabusame Horseback Archery

About this event

At Onamuji Shrine in Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture, the traditional event "Izaku Yabusame" will be held to pray for a bountiful harvest. This horseback archery tradition originated in 1538 when Tadayoshi Shimazu dedicated it as a prayer for victory in the siege of Kaseda Castle, and it has been continued every year since. The ritual was moved to the current shrine around the Kanei era and designated as a prefectural cultural property in 1981. On the day of the event, in addition to the yabusame dedication, an impressive martial performance by the Satsuma Hioki Matchlock Gun Troop will also be presented. Through mounted archery and the roar of matchlocks, this is a rare opportunity to experience the history of the Izaku Shimazu clan. You can directly experience traditional culture passed down from ancient times in a place steeped in Shimazu family heritage.

Venue

Onamuji Shrine

2263 Fukiage-cho Nakahara, Hioki-shi, Kagoshima 899-3301