Nikko Autumn Festival

I. Nikko Autumn Grand Festival Intro

When I arrived in Nikko in October 2024, the air was crisp, the maple leaves had started to blush in shades of red and gold, and the city seemed to hum with anticipation. Nikko is already one of Japan’s most photogenic cities and a must-visit no matter your touristic tastes. The ornate shrines of the UNESCO-listed Toshogu Shrine complex gleamed against a backdrop of cedar forests.

In addition to visiting shrines and temple complexes, I had come to witness—and photograph—the Autumn Grand Festival. This centuries-old tradition honours Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. For a photographer passionate about cultural portraits and storytelling through images, this was a dream come true.

II. Quick Facts: Nikko Autumn Grand Festival

• Name: Grand Autumn Festival (Shuki Taisai)
• Location: Toshogu Shrine, Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture
• Date: Annually on October 16–17
• Highlight: Hyakumonozoroe Sennin Gyoretsu — the “Procession of 1,000 Samurai”
• Historical Roots: Commemorates Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate (1543–1616)
• Participants: Over 1,000 locals dressed as Edo-period warriors, nobles, and shrine officials
• Companion Rituals: Shinto ceremonies, sacred dances, and archery displays
• Spring Twin: A nearly identical festival is also held each year in May (the Grand Spring Festival)

III. The Heart of the Festival: The Procession of 1,000 Samurai

The highlight of the Grand Autumn Festival is the Hyakumonozoroe Sennin Gyoretsu, or Procession of 1,000 Samurai. The reenactment honours the transfer of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s spirit from Shizuoka to Nikko in the 17th century.

More than a thousand participants march in full Edo-period attire—samurai warriors, ashigaru foot soldiers, priests, and noble courtiers. The details are astonishing: lacquered helmets reflecting sunlight, armour laced with silk cords in indigo and vermilion, and banners fluttering in the autumn breeze.

Here is a breakdown of the activities for the two days.

Day	Time	Route / Key Locations
Day 1 – October 16	~1:00 pm / ~1:30 pm	Yabusame (horseback archery) on Omotesandō, near Toshogu Shrine. Starts about 1:30 pm, lasts roughly an hour. (JapanTravel)
Day 2 – October 17	~11:00–12:00	Forward procession: Toshogu Shrine → Omotesandō → Otabisho. Participants carry portable shrines and march, reenacting the historical transfer of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s remains. (JapanTravel)
Day 2 – October 17	~12:00	At Otabisho: ceremonies and performances such as “Gotabisho Festival”, including a banquet, dances (Dance of the Eight Maidens, Dance of the Eastern Journey) etc. (JapanTravel)
Day 2 – October 17	~1:00-2:00 pm	Return procession: Otabisho → Omotesandō → Toshogu Shrine. Participants retrace the route back to the shrine. (鬼怒川ラフティング No1 [NAOCナオック])

IV. Shooting Tips for Nikko Autumn Grand Festival

Here are some tips that worked for me:

A. Best Time to Arrive

I arrived on both days (October 16-17) well ahead of the starting time. That gave me a number of opportunities.

On Day 1 (October 16th), the Yabusame (horseback archery) on Omotesandō, near Tōshōgu Shrine, began at approximately 1:30 pm and lasted for about an hour. Arriving some two hours before that gave me the chance to scout the place for the best location, take some pictures of the five-storey pagoda in front of the entrance to Toshogu, and photograph the samurai archers while they prepared for the performance. Whilst the best pictures of samurai archers are taken while on horseback and galloping at full speed towards their target, these are not necessarily the easiest to capture, firstly, because of the crowd, and secondly, because of their movement.

On Day 2 (October 17th), arriving early provided an opportunity to savour the delicious coffee and cakes at the Tokugawa Ieyasu museum cafeteria before visiting the museum. Nikkō Tōshō-gū Homotsukan Museum (又は Nikko Toshogu Museum / Treasure Museum / Hōmotsukan) displays artifacts related to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the history of the shrine: armour, weapons, personal items, ceremonial implements, letters, etc.

B. Best Vantage Points

Toshogu Shrine approach — wide shots of the procession or closeups of the participants framed by lanterns and towering cedars. Rituals are conducted on Day 1 before the archery contest, before the entrance to Tōshōgū, and are an excellent opportunity for taking incredible shots. As this is also the starting point of the procession, it was ideal for capturing photos of the samurai archers, ashigaru soldiers, and attendants.

Shinkyo Bridge area — classic Nikko backdrop with participants crossing in formation.

I have chosen the Toshogu Shrine vantage point for this visit.

V. Camera Gear

See similar discussion here.

VI. What You’ll See in the Procession

A. Day 1 (October 16): Yabusame Ritual & Preparatory Ceremonies

1. Yabusame (流鏑馬) – Horseback Archery

• Location: Omotesandō, the main approach to Toshogu Shrine.
• Timing: Afternoon (~1:00–1:30 pm start).
• Description: Mounted archers in Heian- and Kamakura-period attire gallop down a 255-meter track, releasing arrows at three wooden targets.
• Costume Details:
  • Riders wear a hitatare (a flowing, two-piece garment tied at the waist) in brightly dyed silks, secured with an eboshi (black lacquered cap).
  • Horses are adorned with agemaki (tassels) and ceremonial tack in scarlet and indigo cords.
• Photographic Note: The archers’ movements are dynamic, but their costumes retain traditional tailoring lines (wide sleeves, box-pleated hakama) that show well in motion blur shots.

2. Ceremonial Components

• Shinto Priests (神官 / kannushi): Dressed in jōe (white silk robes) with tall eboshi caps, they purify the grounds with rituals before yabusame begins.
• Miko (巫女 / shrine maidens): In white kosode with scarlet hakama, they carry sakaki branches and assist in offerings.
• Function: These preparatory rites establish ritual purity, ensuring the yabusame isn’t just sport but a sacred reenactment of martial devotion to the kami.

B. Day 2 (October 17): The Procession of 1,000 Samurai (Hyakumonozoroe Sennin Gyoretsu)

This is the festival’s core — a living tableau of Edo-period retinues honouring Tokugawa Ieyasu’s spirit transfer to Nikko. The procession is meticulously stratified, reflecting the Tokugawa social hierarchy.

1. Forward Procession (Toshogu Shrine → Otabisho)

• Lead Group: Standard-Bearers (旗本 / hatamoto)
  • Carrying nobori (vertical banners) emblazoned with Tokugawa clan crests (mon).
  • Costumes: Suikan robes in indigo-dyed hemp, stiffened shoulders for military formality.
• Musicians & Courtiers (楽人 / gakunin)
  • Perform with taiko drums and ryuteki flutes, wearing kariginu (hunting robes) in patterned silk with exaggerated sleeves.
  • Kariginu robes date to the Heian court but persisted in ceremonial use through Edo.
• Samurai Retainers (侍 / bushi)
  • Armoured in ō-yoroi or dō-maru (lamellar cuirasses), laced with silk cords in vermilion, indigo, or black.
  • Helmets: kabuto with maedate crests (dragonflies, horns, sun motifs).
  • Weapons: yari (spears), naginata (glaives), and tachi (long slung swords).
• Ashigaru Infantry (足軽)
  • Commoner foot soldiers, less ornate, in tatami-dō (folding armour of iron plates and leather), with jingasa (conical lacquer hats).
  • Carry teppō (matchlock muskets) or yari.
  • Their visual simplicity contrasts with that of higher-ranking bushi, showing Edo-period hierarchy in material culture.
• Priestly Escort (神職列)
  • Kannushi in sokutai (formal layered robes) and shaku (ritual batons).
  • Portable shrines (mikoshi) containing the symbolic spirit of Tokugawa Ieyasu are carried, draped in brocade canopies.

2. Ceremonies at Otabisho (御旅所)

At the halfway point, the procession halts for rites:

• Gotabisho Ritual (御旅所祭礼):
  • The mikoshi is enshrined temporarily.
  • Priests perform norito (Shinto prayers), flanked by bugyō (festival magistrates) in formal kamishimo (stiff-shouldered ceremonial attire).
• Performances:
  • Kagura (神楽): Sacred dances by miko, using gohei (zigzag paper wands).
  • Dance of the Eight Maidens (Yamato-mai): Miko in white kosode and scarlet hakama, accented with hibakama pleats, perform symmetrical steps with fans.
  • Dance of the Eastern Journey (Azuma-asobi): Reenactment dance referencing Ieyasu’s journey to Nikko.

3. Return Procession (Otabisho → Toshogu Shrine)

• The order reverses, but participants often display less solemnity — subtle gestures of camaraderie emerge.
• Costumes, still rigid in form, may reveal signs of wear: armour cords loosen, jingasa pushed back — wonderful moments for candid photography.
• The mikoshi is restored to Toshogu, completing the symbolic “round trip” of Ieyasu’s spirit.

VII. Closing Remarks

Nikko is an absolutely gorgeous town and well worth the visit. For history buffs and medieval Japan enthusiasts, the Autumn Grand Festival takes it to a new level altogether. If you are visiting in October, make sure to add it to your plans.