Tsuwano Yabusame

The Tsuwano Yabusame festival, held each April at Washibara Hachimangu Shrine, is one of Japan's more striking traditional events, with riders in samurai hunting dress galloping full speed down a 220-meter course and releasing arrows at three wooden targets using only their knees to guide the horse. Yabusame dates back centuries as both martial training and Shinto ritual offering. Tsuwano itself, a small castle town often called the 'Little Kyoto of San'in,' is worth exploring the same day for its carp-filled waterways, historic samurai residences, and hilltop castle ruins. Arrive early to find a good position along the course before the crowds settle in.