Kamo Shrine Horseback Martial Arts Festival

Every November, Kamo Shrine in Kamo-cho, Omihachiman — known as Mikarino-no-Mori — hosts a festival of horseback martial arts on its riding ground. Riders in traditional dress mount Kiso horses and other native Japanese breeds and dedicate demonstrations such as kurabe-uma (horse races) and yabusame (archery from a galloping horse) to the shrine's deity. Riders from across the Kanto region and the Kinki area take part together, and you can watch horse and rider thunder past from beside the track. A good pick if you are curious about Japan's horse culture and samurai-era martial arts, or want to see horses up close with the family.

Kamo Shrine is said to stand where Emperor Tenji set up Japan's first state horse pasture, and it is known as a sacred place for horses in Japan. The festival keeps alive the horse culture and mounted martial arts once practised by samurai by offering them to the shrine's deity. On the day, riders in traditional dress race native Japanese horses and shoot at targets from the saddle at full gallop in yabusame. Visitors watch from beside the riding ground.