Bunbokusai Festival at Shirahata Shrine
What Is the Bunbokusai Festival at Shirahata Shrine?
The Bunbokusai (文墨祭) is held every year on October 28 at Shirahata Shrine (白旗神社), a subsidiary shrine in the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (鶴岡八幡宮). According to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, October 28 is the day Minamoto no Sanetomo (源実朝), one of the deities enshrined at Shirahata Shrine, was appointed Minister of the Right (右大臣), one of the highest posts at the imperial court. Sanetomo was the third shogun of the Kamakura shogunate and is also famous as a poet, best known for his poetry collection, the Kinkai Wakashu (金槐和歌集). The festival was started in 1944 to honor his memory in Kamakura, a town where many writers had come to live.
Date, Time and Viewing
In 2026 it is held on Wednesday, October 28, from 10:00 a.m. It takes place on October 28 every year, whatever the day of the week. Seats are reserved for people invited by the shrine, but general visitors can watch standing.
Highlights: A Ceremony with Gagaku Music and a Tea Gathering
During the ceremony, priests make offerings before the deities and recite prayers, attendees offer tamagushi (玉串), sacred sakaki branches, and gagaku (雅楽), ancient Japanese court music, is played. On the day, many writers gather, and a tea gathering and other events are held.
According to people who have attended, outdoor tea seats (nodate, 野点) are set up in the grounds, and thick matcha from the tea seat is offered to the deities. In some years, a calligraphy exhibition has been held on the second floor of the rest house, the Naoraiden (直会殿).
About Shirahata Shrine
Shirahata Shrine enshrines Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝) and his son Sanetomo. They were once enshrined in separate shrines in the grounds, and were brought together at the present site in the Meiji era. The shrine building is lacquered black and stands east of the Wakamiya (若宮), or Lower Shrine, next to the Yanagihara Pond (柳原神池).
Access: Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is about a 10-minute walk from the East Exit of JR Kamakura Station (鎌倉駅) or from Enoden Kamakura Station. To reach Shirahata Shrine, enter the stone-paved path from the torii gate facing the yabusame (流鏑馬, horseback archery) track and walk on with the Kamakura Museum of National Treasures (鎌倉国宝館) on your right. Pets are not allowed in the shrine grounds.
If you stay in Kamakura, you can head to the shrine early in the morning and be there in time for the 10:00 a.m. ceremony. At Toshi’s Place, fully unstaffed smart hotels with full kitchens and no meals provided, you can explore Kamakura at your own pace.
Summary
The Bunbokusai is an autumn festival where writers gather to honor Minamoto no Sanetomo, a shogun famed as a poet. With a ceremony accompanied by gagaku music and a tea gathering, it offers a taste of Kamakura’s cultural traditions. For the shrine’s usual highlights, see Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
Basic Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Bunbokusai Festival at Shirahata Shrine |
| Date | October 28 every year (Wednesday in 2026) |
| Time | From 10:00 a.m. |
| Venue | Shirahata Shrine (Tsurugaoka Hachimangu grounds, east of the Wakamiya) |
| Address | 2-1-31 Yukinoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa (Tsurugaoka Hachimangu) |
| Program | Ceremony, tea gathering and more |
| Viewing | Seats for invited guests only (general visitors watch standing) |
| Notes | No pets in the shrine grounds |
| Access | About 10 minutes on foot from JR Kamakura Station East Exit or Enoden Kamakura Station |
| Contact | Tsurugaoka Hachimangu +81-467-22-0315 |
| Official website | Festival calendar (Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Japanese) |