Destination Spotlight

Watching Exhilarating Samurais On Horseback – Soma Nomaoi

Watching Exhilarating Samurais On Horseback – Soma Nomaoi

The Soma Nomaoi is a 3-day festival takes place during the last weekend of July every year, and is centered around 3 main shrines in the cities of Minamisoma and Soma.

It is thought that the festival has its roots in a local tradition from the 10th century, when horses were chased and tamed as part of military exercises secretly held by the city’s samurai warriors. How amazing is it to go to a festival which has been happening in one form or another for 1000 years?!

Those who take part in the festival are people from samurai or noble families, many of whom have received armour passed down from their ancestors.

On the first day, A ceremonial opening act called a ‘Departure Ceremony’ is held at the 3 main shrines involved in the festivals. There are also pre-event horse races, to get everyone excited for the excitement to come during the next day.

There are quite a lot of websites with the details of the festival, but I’ll briefly about the festival’s schedule during this post! I actually headed to Minamisoma on the second day of the festival, and have written about the day’s events below.

PROCESSIONS (GYORETSU)

Those who will take part in the day’s events take part in a stunning 3 km procession through Haranomachi, to the town’s race course – bringing portable shrines and all!

Going to see the gyoretsu means you’ll get a chance to see cute kids wearing samurai armour – not to be missed!

KACCHU KEIBA HORSE RACING

10 horse races are held at midday. All of the riders wear 'kacchu' – a type of samurai armour, which I got to try on during a previous visit to Minamisoma!

Having had experience wearing real kacchu, I know how hot and heavy the armour is. I could only wear it for about 10 minutes before getting a bit tired, so I don’t know how everyone managed to wear them for the whole day, despite the hot midday sun!

The races were really exciting to watch. As the riders zoomed past, mud was thrown up in the air, covering a lot of them – and some members of the crowd!

A number of people tumbled off their horses, many of the races were incredibly close, so I couldn’t take my eyes off of the race course.

SHINKI SODATSUSEN

This is the part of the day that I could not pronounce no matter how many times I tried to say it!

Hundreds of riders gather in the central field. Flags are shot into the sky using fireworks, and the riders must chase after them, and catch them before the others.

There were 2 things that surprised me about this event

  1. There were boys and girls who looked like they must be middle school kids taking part

  2. It reminded me so much of Quidditch – with flags as the Snitch, and horses instead of brooms!

I spent a lot of the second festival day trying – and failing – to take good photographs, so I am jealous of the attendees who sat in the audience seats and got to watch the whole thing. I enjoyed the day a surprising amount for someone with a phobia of horses, and I would definitely like to go again! We left before evening, but if we had stayed, we would have seen a fireworks display, held in Odaka town for the first time in 7 years.

The third day also includes important traditional events, such as Nomagake – where two brown and one white ‘wild’ horses are caught barehanded, and then taken to Odaka Shrine to be blessed. This is the part of the festival which gives it its name – which translate as 'Soma’s Wild Horse Chase'.

It’s so exciting that Odaka has once again become able to hold an event which has been practised and celebrated among local people for a millennium. It certainly is a clear demonstration of Odaka’s revitalization progress.

I’m hoping to interview somebody who participated in the festival at some point – I’m looking forward to finding out what they think about this tradition!

 

TIPS FOR VISITING THE FESTIVAL:

  1. Bring water! And sun cream!
  2. Bring a camera with a long zoom!
  3. If you come on the second day and want a good seat for the horse race, you have to leave the street processions early. The road to the race course is just a straight line from where the processions are, so it is easy to find!

 

ACCESS:

  • Shuttle buses run from JR Haranomachi Station during festival time.
  • There are also buses that leave Sendai Station.

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  1. Useful Information

    Fukushima’s Winter Festivals: Details and Dates for 2025

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The candles in this charming onsen town are illuminated for 90 minutes every evening, making for a pleasant atmosphere on an evening stroll.(Candles are lit 16:30-18:00 in December and January, 17:00-18:30 in February)Given its dates, the Candle Festival combines well with visiting other winter festivals on this list, regardless of whether you’re staying in Higashiyama Onsen.Address: Higashiyama Onsen, Aizu-Wakamatsu City7 January: Nanokado Hadaka Mairi FestivalTranslating roughly as, ‘the naked shrine visit on the 7th January’, Nanokado Hadaka Mairi sees a group of men in nothing but loincloths climb a hemp rope to the top of Enzoji Temple. To get there they must race up the 113 stone steps to the main temple building in the freezing cold, and visitors are able to participate (advance notice is required).The festival traces its roots back to an ancient legend, telling of a princess who received a wish-granting jewel from a river dragon to tide against crop failures, and a community who banded together on the night of the 7th to prevent the dragon spirit from taking it back. To this day the festival is a rowdy display of hope and community.If you’re in Yanaizu for the festival, this is a great chance to see one of the prefecture’s most underrated towns: the Chansey Lucky Park is a winner, and since Enzoji is the birthplace of the akabeko legend, you’ll find merchandise of the red cows wherever you look.Address: Enzoji Temple, Jikemachi-ko 176, Yanaizu Town, Kawanuma District, Fukushima Pref. 969-72011 February – 9 February: Iwaki Tsurushi-bina MatsuriHeld in the Nakanosaku district of Iwaki in the south-east of the prefecture, this is the best time to visit this port town thanks to its colourful displays of handmade dolls and folk arts made with chirimen fabric (which is used in kimonos). The main display takes place at Seikokan, where over 3,000 fabric dolls hang from under the eaves of the old traditional house.There are also food and merchandise stalls that run primarily on Saturdays and Sundays.Address: Nakanosaku, Iwaki City (Map)7 & 8 February: Aizu Painted Candle FestivalThe start of a weekend of winter events, Friday 7th February is the first night of the Aizu Painted Candle Festival – tens of thousands of candles in artisanal wooden cases, bamboo holders and paper boxes that light up Tsurugajo Castle and the traditional garden down the road at Oyaku-en.The main time to see the candles is between 17:30 and 20:30, where visitors can not only enjoy the beautiful evening views but appreciate the time and craftsmanship involved in making each candle.Tsurugajo Castle: 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0873Oyaku-en Garden: 8-1 Hanaharumachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-08047 – 9 February: Tadami Snow FestivalTaking place on the same weekend as the Ouchi-juku festival, the Tadami Snow Festival is a charming local festival that attracts over 20,000 visitors a year. It’s most famous for its large snow sculptures, which are illuminated when it gets dark, in addition to fireworks displays.The main festival takes place on the 8th and 9th, with some smaller festivities on the night of the 7th.Much like Ouchi-juku, the Tadami Snow Festival features music performances, sales of local crafts and food stalls.Address: In front of Tadami Station, Tadami Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 968-04218 & 9 February: Ouchi-juku Snow FestivalMochi thrown from rooftops, wood-cutting competitions, igloos, traditional performing arts, fireworks, yosakoi dancing, soba noodles eating contests – the Ouchi-juku Snow Festival casts a wide gamut of activities in addition to its beautiful scenery. The thatched roofs of the hamlet covered in snow make for splendid photographs.Local vendors sell merchandise directly from their houses, and during the winter season there are food stalls selling chargrilled dishes and snacks. For many people in Fukushima, this is the festival to prioritise every winter.Address: Ouchi-juku (Yamamoto, Ouchi, Shimogo Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 969-5207)11 February: Shirakawa Daruma MarketDaruma, traditional good luck talismans, are a symbol of Shirakawa City, with two major workshops where visitors can watch craftsmen at work. Shirakawa daruma vary slightly in design from the Tohoku-style daruma sold further north in Fukushima City or the art village at Miharu.At this event, held yearly on 11th February, there is a festival-esque atmosphere with hundreds and thousands of visitors turning up to peruse over 700 stalls. Since daruma come in 18 sizes and a variety on display, it’s easy to find a daruma that suits you – tradition says you make a wish while the daruma has only its left eye filled in (or you fill it in while making the wish), and then you fill in the right eye when the dream is fulfilled.Address: The main street in front of Shirakawa Station that runs parallel to the train line.Looking for more tips about travelling in Fukushima this winter? Check out our full guide.

    Fukushima’s Winter Festivals: Details and Dates for 2025
  2. Destination Spotlight

    How I Joined the Kohata Flag Festival

    Held yearly on the first Sunday of December, Hata Matsuri - the Kohata Flag Festival - is a bustling display of colour and community in a beautiful part of rural Fukushima. Here’s what I learned from joining the procession myself, complete with some tips for the future if you’d also like to attend!Since I arrived in Fukushima, I’ve been trying to go to every festival I can. Attending local festivals is a great way to learn more about lesser-known areas of the prefecture and the local people are always eager to welcome new visitors.With that in mind, after seeing pictures of the Kohata Flag Festival online, I was keen to visit the area and see the colourful flags for myself. That’s how I ended up getting up early on a chilly Sunday morning and heading to the sleepy mountain village of Kohata, a district of equally sleepy Nihonmatsu City.(If the name sounds familiar, Nihonmatsu itself is widely known for its extravagant three-day lantern festival in October, and the Chrysanthemum Doll Festival which takes place roughly around the same time to coincide with autumn colours.)The flag festival, meanwhile, is the biggest yearly event for Kohata. Although the main procession takes place on the Sunday, there are also festivities on the Saturday, including mizugori (purifying oneself with buckets and buckets of cold spring water), dancing and a foot race while holding the great flags.This first day is also when first-time participants to the festival – usually boys who have come of age – are taken halfway up the mountain via the woodland trails to complete their initiation into the flag-bearers. This involves slipping through a narrow gap just barely wide enough for an adult to pass through, before heading up to Okitsushima Shrine to pray and be inducted as a member of the procession.Unlike the all-whites of the regular flag-carriers, these first-timers wear red and are treated as adults. Although usually there are two or three new members, this year there was only one, who was forced to take photos by his family at every step of the journey.The festival traces its history back nearly a thousand years. A defeated Genji army in 1055 barricaded themselves in meagre defences on Mt. Kohata, and it’s said that their pursuers among the Abe forces mistook the heavy snow for Genji banners and fled from certain victory. This is one of the reasons that white flags appear alongside the more colourful ones in the flag procession.The flag-bearers depart from the Kohata Community Center at 8:30am on Sunday. They first gather at 7:30, and there is an opening ceremony from 8:00, but this is mostly speeches from local officials and guests of honour, and since the grounds are surrounded by rows of trees, it can get fairly chilly at that time of the morning – I would say arriving shortly before departure time would be fine for most people.That being said, this is where I met Hatarou, the local mascot (this is a pun, since 'hata' is Japanese for flag. It'd be like calling a mascot 'Flaggy', but funnier.) This also makes Hata Matsuri one of the few Fukushima festivals with its own mascot.The procession lasts for several hours, taking the marchers from the community center in the west part of town up into the foothills of Mt. Kohata, and eventually leading to the magnificent Okitsushima Shrine deep in the mountain woodland. There are multiple good places for taking photos – it quickly becomes obvious where they are, since a flock of local photography enthusiasts follow the procession wherever it goes! I’d recommend the road bridge shortly after leaving the main street of town.When I stopped in someone’s driveway to get a good photo of the marchers heading through the torii gate, the home owner came and spoke with me for a while about what brought me to the festival. She said in her childhood, the flags numbered nearly two hundred, whereas nowadays the number is closer to seventy or eighty. When I thanked her and went to follow the parade, she handed me a wrapped sweet and told me to have a great day – this is exactly the kind of wholesome experience that makes it worthwhile going to lesser-known festivals.In fact, this happened multiple times over the course of the day. 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Although we passed the front entrance during our walk up the mountain, the flags must first be taken through the back route to the Tainai Kuguri Rock, where a prayer is said for health and good fortune before continuing up the trail. In the woods the slopes can be fairly steep and the footing a little slippery, so this was where I wished I’d worn slightly more rugged shoes with a better grip. Fortunately, you only need to pass this way once, as you’ll use the front steps to leave the shrine later.In addition to the beautiful old shrine building at Okitsushima, the grounds also play host to a beautiful deep red pagoda that is a central pillar of the shrine’s history. It’s said that when famous warlord Date Masamune set Mt. Kohata ablaze in the 1500s that the pagoda would not collapse, and these days it is a power spot for those wishing for academic success and the prevention of disease.When they reach the top of the long steps up to the shrine building, each flag-bearer group stops to say a prayer for long life and celebrate a job well done. Then, the groups come together to hear words from the shrine’s caretakers, after which the festival comes to an end.Overall, the festival began in earnest at 8:30am and ended around 1pm. There were several breaks during the march to allow people to rest up and recharge – not realising how rugged a walk it was, I didn’t bring anything in the way of snacks or water, so I’d certainly recommend that for people thinking of joining all the way to the end.Also, while the walk back down from the shrine avoids the woodland route and thereby takes less time, it still took me about 45mins to walk from Okitsushima Shrine back to the community center where I parked, so you should factor that into your schedule. There is parking at the shrine, but space is limited and the roads can get crowded at home time.Final Thoughts & TipsApart from the great atmosphere, friendly people and the colourful flags, for me the most lasting impression of the festival was the beauty of the local area. Even though the festival is held just after the peak of autumn colour season, there were still streaks of orange in the hillsides, and there’s more than one viewpoint looking over the town as you make the climb to the shrine.Although you don’t have to follow the procession all the way to the top, I think it’s worth it to see the final ceremony with all the flags lined up at the shrine, and the pagoda alone is worth the trip. Several people congratulated me for making it all the way to the top, or said they looked forward to seeing me next year.If I were to go again, I’d be keen to see the other ceremonies and events on the Saturday, and I’d probably aim to arrive shortly before departure to skip standing in the cold. Otherwise, as I mentioned above, good walking shoes and snacks / water will come in handy, and bring your camera!For more festivals in Fukushima, why not check out the Aizu Festival or the horse riding samurai of Soma Nomaoi?

    How I Joined the Kohata Flag Festival
  3. Useful Information

    Large Luggage in Fukushima: Where to Find Coin Lockers at Every Train Station

    Travelling with large luggage during your trip? In this article you'll find all the information about the best places to stash your personal belongings somewhere safe and reliable.Use your browser search function (Ctrl + F) to find specific stations or popular sightseeing spots (for example, ‘Aizu-Wakamatsu Station’ or ‘Ouchi-juku’.)Fukushima StationNearby spots: Jododaira (Mt. Azuma-Kofuji), Fruit Line orchards, HanamiyamaTrain lines: Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Iizaka Line, Abukuma Express, Yamagata Line, Tohoku Line Location Fees West Exit Ticket Gate 2F Large: 11, ¥600 Small: 11, ¥300 West Exit 1F Large: 6, ¥600 / 3, ¥800 Medium: 18, ¥500 Small: 15, ¥300 East Exit (Inside ticket gates) Large: 2, ¥600 Small: 15, ¥300 Shinkansen (Inside ticket gates) Large: 8, ¥700 Medium: 2, ¥600 Small: 10, ¥400 East Exit Large: 27, ¥600-700 Small: 20, ¥400 More details here. Iizaka Onsen StationNearby spots: Fruit Line orchards, Kyu Horikiri-tei traditional residence, onsen, Iizaka Fighting FestivalTrain lines: Iizaka Line Location Fees Outside ticket gates, left of the stairs leading out of the station Large: 4, ¥400 Medium: 6, ¥300 Small: 8, ¥200 More details here. Nihonmatsu StationNearby spots: Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival, Ebisu Circuit (20min taxi), Kasumigajo Castle Park (Nihonmatsu Castle) & Nihonmatsu Chrysanthemum Doll Festival, Ryusenji TempleTrain lines: Tohoku Line Location Fees After leaving ticket gates, on the left after stepping outside Large: 4, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 15, ¥300 More details here. Koriyama StationNearby spots: Chansey Park in Koriyama, Takayashiki Shrine (15min taxi)Train lines: Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Ban-etsu West Line, Ban-etsu East Line, Tohoku Line, Suigun Line Location Fees East Exit passage Large: 6, ¥500 Medium: 12, ¥400 Small: 16, ¥300 East-West passage Large: 2, ¥500 Medium: 9, ¥400 Small: 41, ¥300 Outside Shinkansen gates Large: 4, ¥1200 Medium: 6, ¥1000 Small: 33, ¥600 S-PAL exit Large: 9, ¥1200 Medium: 14, ¥1000 Small: 23, ¥600 Central entrance / exit 1F Large: 3, ¥1200 Medium: 8, ¥1100 Small: 4, ¥1000 1F Large: 2, ¥1100 Medium: 6, ¥1000 Small: 35, ¥600 食品館 / Food hall entrance 1F Large: 4, ¥1100 Medium: 4, ¥1000 Small: 37, ¥600 More details here. Shirakawa StationNearby spots: Komine Castle (5min walk)Train lines: Tohoku Line Location Fees After leaving ticket gates, on the left Large: 1, ¥700 Medium: 1, ¥400 Small: 10, ¥300 More details here. Miharu StationNearby spots: Takashiba Deko Yashiki Craft Village (10min taxi), Miharu TakizakuraTrain lines: Ban-etsu East Line Location Fees After leaving ticket gates, on the left Medium: 12, ¥200 Small: 10, ¥100 More details here. Inawashiro StationNearby spots: Goshikinuma ponds, Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum, ski resorts, Kawakyo Ramen, Tenkyokaku former imperial residence, Morohashi Museum of Modern Art, Mt. 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There are four small lockers for ¥300, or larger luggage can be left with staff.More details here. Hayato StationNearby spots: Mugenkyo River Crossing departure pointTrain lines: Tadami LineThere are no coin lockers at Hayato Station. The closest storage location would be the luggage care service (with rental bicycles available) at the Tadami Town Information Centre. Aizu-Yanaizu StationNearby spots: Enzoji TempleTrain lines: Tadami LineThere are small coin lockers at Aizu-Yanaizu for ¥300, while larger luggage can be left with staff at the Tourism Information Centre. (Please be aware this is a 10 minute walk from the station.)More photos here. Yunokami Onsen StationNearby spots: Ouchi-jukuTrain lines: Tadami LineLuggage can be handled at Yunokami Onsen Station for ¥300 per item per day. Kitakata StationNearby spots: Kitakata ramen restaurants (example itinerary)Train lines: Ban-etsu West Line Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 2, ¥900 Medium: 14, ¥500 Small: 15, ¥400 More details here. Hirota StationNearby spots: Nisshinkan samurai academyTrain lines: Ban-etsu West LineThere are no coin lockers at Hirota Station. Futaba StationNearby spots: Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum (Denshokan), Futaba Art DistrictTrain lines: Joban LineAlthough there are no coin lockers at Futaba Station, there are several places in Futaba where luggage can be stored: Location Fees Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum 174 lockers available behind the reception counter, many 40cm x 39cm x 38cm with larger sizes available. ¥100 deposit Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center (FBICC) Medium: 6 Small: 8 ¥100 deposit FUTABA POINT Coworking Space Some lockers available  Namie StationNearby spots: Ukedo Elementary School (15min taxi)Train lines: Joban LineThere are no coin lockers at Namie Station. Izumi StationNearby spots: Aquamarine Fukushima (there are coin lockers and a luggage care service at the aquarium).Train lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates on the left. 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Large: 1, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 8, ¥400 More details here. Yumoto StationNearby spots: Yumoto onsenTrain lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Exit the station, turn left and continue: Lockers can be found in the shadow of the building Large: 2, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 10, ¥400 More details and photos here. Iwaki StationNearby spots: Iwaki City Art MuseumTrain lines: Ban-etsu East Line, Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 1, ¥1200 Medium: 4, ¥1000 Small: 21, ¥800 More details here. Haranomachi StationNearby spots: Soma Nomaoi Festival (shuttle bus runs during the festival), Somaota ShrineTrain lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 2, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 5, ¥400 More details here. Soma StationNearby spots: Soma Nakamura ShrineTrain lines: Joban Line, Hitachi & Tokiwa Location Fees Outside ticket gates Large: 2, ¥600 Medium: 3, ¥500 Small: 5, ¥400 Photos and details here. Kashima StationTrain lines: Joban LineThere are no coin lockers at Kashima Station. Odaka StationNearby spots: Soma Odaka ShrineTrain lines: Joban LineThere are no coin lockers at Odaka Station. 

    Large Luggage in Fukushima: Where to Find Coin Lockers at Every Train Station
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