Morioka Autumn Festival is held every year from September 14th to 16th. On the last day of the festival, you can see Yabusame, a Shinto ritual which an archer shoots arrows at targets while riding a horse, at Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.

Seeing Ite-bugyo, the archers, shooting arrows on a horse that is running at full speed is breathtaking!!

Following the Ite-bugyo, Kaizoe-bugyo, also riding horses, will run with “sensu”, a Japanese fan in their hand while saying “Yo Itariya!” which means “Well shot!” in Japanese.

The food stalls set up around the festival site also enliven the festival. If you were wondering where to visit this autumn, your destination has just been decided!