A traditional yabusame in which a boy and sacred horse gallop down a 330-meter track
Yabusame at Kōyama Shijūkusho Shrine
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- The third Sunday of October every year / Every year
- Location
- Shijūkusho Shrine
- Area
- Kagoshima Prefecture・Kimotsuki Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 20 min · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
At Shijūkusho Shrine in Kimotsuki Town, local junior high school students serve as archers, galloping alongside a sacred horse on the track as they carry on the ancient ritual of divination, offered as .
About Yabusame at Kōyama Shijūkusho Shrine
The yabusame at Kōyama Shijūkusho Shrine is an ancient divination ritual that has been passed down for about 900 years.
Unlike the martial arts displays and competitions seen at yabusame events elsewhere in Japan, the archers here are boys in their second year at local Kōyama Junior High School.
On the track in front of Shijūkusho Shrine, the archer shoots arrows from horseback to divine the year’s harvest and other fortunes.
The event is also designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kagoshima Prefecture, and the work of local people who support the archer is an important part of the tradition.
Festival highlights
The highlight is watching the archer gallop alongside the sacred horse down the 330 m track and shoot at targets from horseback.
First, the archer makes a practice run without shooting, then gallops down the track, where 3 targets are set up, 3 times, shooting a total of 9 arrows.
It is said that a year with more arrows hitting their targets will bring a good harvest, and tradition also holds that the archer should avoid hitting all 9 targets.
Look out, too, for the archer’s father scattering sand from the beach to purify the area, as well as the roles of the reserve archer and rope handlers.
A traditional yabusame in which a boy and sacred horse gallop down a 330-meter track
What to expect
The archer is selected in August and spends about 1 and a half months practicing with the horse.
Before the main event, the archer, sacred horse, reserve archer, and others purify themselves with seawater at Kashiwabara Beach.
On the day, the bow-receiving ceremony takes place at Shijūkusho Shrine, followed by a practice run and 3 gallops at Miyano Baba.
The Kōyama Yabusame Festival is held alongside the event, with a warrior procession, local product sales, stage performances, Yassan dance performances, and more.
How to take part
The archer is selected from among boys in their second year at local Kōyama Junior High School, and local students and residents support the event in roles such as rope handlers.
At the accompanying Kōyama Yabusame Festival, the fish-catching activity is held by lottery, servings of eggane miso soup are limited in quantity, and some activities require advance registration or use a lottery system.
Members of the general public may view the bow-receiving ceremony only from outside the building.
Location and access
- Venue and address
四十九所神社 鹿児島県肝属郡肝付町新富5580−ロ／車：溝辺鹿児島空港ICから東九州自動車道・大隅縦貫道を経て笠之原ICへ向かい、高山エリア中心部へ／電車・バス：鹿児島空港から空港連絡バスで「高山（肝付町役場本庁舎前）」まで2時間～2時間15分（乗り換え待ち時間を含まない）
Address 5580-Ro Shintomi, Kimotsuki Town, Kimotsuki District, Kagoshima Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
The third Sunday of October every year
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Kagoshima Prefecture / Kimotsuki Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Members of the general public may view the bow-receiving ceremony only from outside the building.
At the yabusame, you can also see the roles of those who support the event, including the archer’s father scattering sand on the track, the reserve archer, and the rope handlers, as well as the archer and sacred horse.
Some accompanying events, such as the fish-catching activity, are held by lottery, and servings are limited in quantity.
Nearby attractions
肝付町立歴史民俗資料館
鹿児島県肝付町にある歴史民俗資料館
高田の滝
鹿児島県の自然のスポットです。
Origins and History of Yabusame at Kōyama Shijūkusho Shrine
The yabusame at Shijūkusho Shrine is said to have been passed down for about 900 years, and accounts say it began about 100 years after Kōyama Castle was built.
Shijūkusho Shrine is said to have been founded by Tomo no Kaneyuki in Eikan 2 (984).
The yabusame continues as a divination ritual to pray for peace in the land, abundant harvests, and the end of epidemics. In Showa 56 March 27, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kagoshima Prefecture.
Official information
Kimotsuki Town Tourist Information Center, “Kōyama Yabusame”
Yabusame at Kōyama Shijūkusho Shrine at a Glance
The yabusame at Kōyama Shijūkusho Shrine is a traditional divination ritual in which local junior high school students serve as archers, shooting arrows alongside a sacred horse on a track about 330 m long.
Highlights include the bow-receiving ceremony, the practice run, and the main event of 3 gallops with 9 arrows, as well as the support of the community, including the father scattering sand, the reserve archer, and the rope handlers.
The Kōyama Yabusame Festival is also held alongside the event, with a warrior procession, local product sales, Yassan dance performances, and more.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/11/11
