2026 Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Festival

About this event

Aimed at experiencing the 1,000-year history of Utsunomiya Castle and fostering affection and pride for the local region, the "Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Festival" will be held in 2026. The main highlight is the "Shasan Gyoretsu" (Procession to Nikko Toshogu), which reenacts the Edo-period event where Lord Toda Tadatomo, the lord of Utsunomiya Castle, visited Nikko Toshogu Shrine as a proxy for Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi. In this procession, participants dressed in period costumes and traditional woven hats march from City Hall through the central shopping district (via Futaarayama Shrine) to Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park. In addition, Japanese-themed stage events will be held at Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park, featuring the castle arrival ceremony for the procession, Japanese taiko drumming, and traditional Japanese dance. Furthermore, there will be food and beverage sales, hands-on house-building workshops for children, family crest stamp rallies, and public access to the second floor of the Seimeidai Yagura turret. The event runs from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and will be canceled in the event of severe weather.

Venue

Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park

1-3520 Honmarucho and others, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 320-0817