TRAVEL
Shinsengumi Festival
The annual Hino Shinsengumi Festival is certainly a big celebration not to be missed. Held on the second Saturday and Sunday of May every year, over five hundred aficionados from all over the world gather in the legendary Shinsengumi parade with haori in asagi-iro or representative bakumatsu character outfit. Lining up in units of ten according to the actual squad division at the time, participants first gathered before the Takahata-Fudoson Kongoji Dainichi Hall for the parade kickoff. The Festival begins with an array of activities including sword demonstrations on Tennen Rishin-ryū, sword battles and dance performances, a forum and panel discussion, cosplay contest and historical site visits. The Yakasa Shrine is one of the places passed by the parade. There is a votive plaque devoted to the Shrine in 1858 wishing to improve on swordsmanship by a group of Tennen Rishin-ryū trainees, of whom the Kondō Isami, Inoue Genzaburo and Okita Sōji names were listed. The plaque is only on display during the Festival.
It was the Hino Shinsengumi Festival’s twenty second year in 2019, before the suspension of events the following years during the covid-19 pandemic.
For those who are not proficient in Japanese, it is generally believed that it may be difficult to participate in this activity, given that the language barrier makes it hard to prepare clothing and understand scheduling instruction. In fact, there are a large number of overseas participants every year. Hino City Tourism is very considerate in making a promotional video to introduce the Festival and related procedures for participation It helps tremendously clearing most of the doubts which may arise.
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