{"id":29965,"date":"2026-11-11T23:54:22","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T14:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/?page_id=29965"},"modified":"2026-11-12T18:08:58","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T09:08:58","slug":"kamakura-matsuri","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/en\/kamakura-station-east\/tsurugaoka-hachimangu-kamakura\/kamakura-matsuri\/","title":{"rendered":"Kamakura Festival (\u938c\u5009\u307e\u3064\u308a)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"People
A mikoshi decorated with flowers in the Kamakura Festival parade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is the Kamakura Festival?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Kamakura Festival (\u938c\u5009\u307e\u3064\u308a) is Kamakura’s spring festival, held since 1959. Organized by the Kamakura City Tourist Association (\u938c\u5009\u5e02\u89b3\u5149\u5354\u4f1a), it runs from the second Sunday to the third Sunday of April, centered on Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (\u9db4\u5ca1\u516b\u5e61\u5bae)<\/a>. On the first Sunday, a parade travels along Wakamiya-oji Avenue (\u82e5\u5bae\u5927\u8def)<\/a> and the Shizuka no Mai (\u9759\u306e\u821e) dance is performed at the Maiden dance hall (\u821e\u6bbf). On the last Saturday and Sunday, nodate (\u91ce\u70b9) outdoor tea seats are set up, where matcha green tea is served in the open air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Illustrated
The illustration is for reference only<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dates and Times<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The festival runs from the second Sunday to the third Sunday of April. On the first Sunday, the parade usually starts at 10:00 AM, followed in the afternoon by the opening ceremony and the Shizuka no Mai, with a commentary on the dance beforehand. On the last Saturday and Sunday, the nodate tea seats are usually open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. On the afternoon of the last Sunday, separately from the festival, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine holds the yabusame (\u6d41\u93d1\u99ac) horseback archery of its Sukeisha Taisai (\u5d07\u656c\u8005\u5927\u796d) on the archery track in the shrine grounds. Times change from year to year, so check that year’s schedule on the Kamakura City Tourist Association’s Kamakura Festival page<\/a> (in Japanese).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Parade on Wakamiya-oji Avenue<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The parade opens the festival. It sets off from the Geba intersection (\u4e0b\u99ac\u56db\u3064\u89d2) on Wakamiya-oji Avenue and travels about 1 km to the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Local ohayashi (\u304a\u56c3\u5b50) festival music groups and mikoshi (\u795e\u8f3f) portable shrine teams are joined by warriors in armor, yosakoi dancers, marching bands and other community groups, and the lively music and spirited calls ring out along the avenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shizuka no Mai at the Maiden Dance Hall<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Shizuka no Mai recreates the story of Shizuka Gozen (\u9759\u5fa1\u524d) at the Maiden dance hall. According to the Azuma Kagami (\u543e\u59bb\u93e1), a chronicle of the Kamakura period, Shizuka Gozen was a shirabyoshi (\u767d\u62cd\u5b50), a dancer who performed in men’s court dress. After parting in Yoshino from Minamoto no Yoshitsune (\u6e90\u7fa9\u7d4c), who had fallen out with his elder brother Minamoto no Yoritomo (\u6e90\u983c\u671d)<\/a>, she was captured and sent to Kamakura. Asked by Yoritomo and his wife Hojo Masako (\u5317\u6761\u653f\u5b50)<\/a> to dance at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, she sang of her longing for Yoshitsune, angering Yoritomo, and Masako is said to have calmed his anger. The Maiden dance hall stands on the site of the corridor of the Wakamiya (\u82e5\u5bae) shrine where Shizuka Gozen danced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the day, a dancer in shirabyoshi costume performs to the music of the players seated on both sides of the stage. The dancer is a Japanese classical dance artist, with the cooperation of the Kamakura Performing Arts Federation (\u938c\u5009\u82b8\u80fd\u9023\u76df), and the school and dancer change from year to year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nodate Tea Seats<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

At the nodate tea seats, matcha is served at tea seats set up in temple and shrine grounds. In most years, an Omotesenke (\u8868\u5343\u5bb6\u6d41\u795e\u8c37\u4f1a) tea group hosts a seat in the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine on the last Saturday, and the Urasenke Tankokai Kamakura Branch (\u88cf\u5343\u5bb6\u6de1\u4ea4\u4f1a\u938c\u5009\u652f\u90e8) hosts one behind the Great Buddha at Kotokuin Temple (\u9ad8\u5fb3\u9662<\/a>) on the last Sunday. In recent years, the Mushakoji Senke (\u6b66\u8005\u5c0f\u8def\u5343\u5bb6) school has also held an indoor seat in a hall at Kenchoji Temple (\u5efa\u9577\u5bfa)<\/a>. Joining is free, and no knowledge of tea etiquette is needed. Admission is required at Kenchoji Temple and Kotokuin Temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n