Bairin yabusame: a mounted archer gallops past and offers nine arrows
Bairin Tenmangu Shrine Yabusame
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/11/25Scheduled
- Season / frequency
- Every year on November 25 / Every year
- Location
- Bairin Tenmangu Shrine
- Area
- Kumamoto Prefecture・Tamana City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
performed as an offering at Bairin Tenmangu Shrine’s grand annual festival. This features archers dressed in samurai attire shooting arrows from horseback and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture.
About Bairin Tenmangu Shrine Yabusame
Yabusame performed as an offering at Bairin Tenmangu Shrine’s grand annual festival.
At Bairin Tenmangu Shrine, described as the first branch shrine of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, archers dressed in samurai attire shoot arrows from horseback.
Yabusame is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the shinji in which archers dressed in samurai attire ride at a gallop and shoot 9 arrows.
You can see the offering ceremony, where the horse’s movements and the archer’s skill come together.
Picking up a fired arrow is considered good luck.
Bairin yabusame: a mounted archer gallops past and offers nine arrows
What to expect
Yabusame is performed as an offering at the grand annual festival.
The archers wear samurai attire and shoot 9 arrows while riding at a gallop.
Picking up an arrow is considered good luck, so the customs surrounding the arrows are a distinctive feature of the event, alongside the ritual offering itself.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Bairin Tenmangu Shrine (499 Tsuru, Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture)
- By car
5 minutes by car from JR Tamana Station / 10 minutes by car from Kikuchi IC on the Kyushu Expressway
Address 499 Tsuru, Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Dates and season
It is announced as taking place on November 25, 2026 (Wednesday).
It is stated to be held on the same date 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 Kumamoto Prefecture / Tamana City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Nearby spots listed include the Kikuchi River, Takasegura, the East and West Kofun burial mounds at Eianji Temple, and the Uragawa Waterside Green Space.
Other featured spots include Takase Uragawa, the Tamana City Museum of History Kokoro Piazza, the site of Takase Okura, and Shigene Hachimangu Shrine.
Nearby information includes tourist attractions, historic sites, museums, and hot springs in Tamana City.
Bairin Tenmangu Shrine
熊本県玉名市にある神社
疋野神社
熊本県玉名市にある神社
蛇ヶ谷公園
熊本県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
Origins and History of Bairin Tenmangu Shrine Yabusame
Bairin Tenmangu Shrine is described as the first branch shrine of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
Yabusame is performed as an offering at the grand annual festival, and this yabusame is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture.
No information is provided about its origins, when it began, or how it has changed over time.
Official information
The Tamana City official website’s “Bairin Tenmangu Shrine Yabusame” page is listed as a reference link.
Bairin Tenmangu Shrine Yabusame at a Glance
Bairin Tenmangu Shrine Yabusame is a shinji performed as an offering at the shrine’s grand annual festival.
Its distinctive features include archers dressed in samurai attire shooting 9 arrows from horseback, and the custom that picking up an arrow is considered good luck.
It is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture, and the 2026 event is announced for November 25 (Wednesday).
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
