Yabusame Matsuri is held twice a year in Towada City by the main city hall. The festival in April is especially revered because of the beautiful cherry blossoms. This year, the cherry blossoms are blooming late but the festival was held regardless.
Yabusame is basically a horse and archery festival. Riders trot down a path and try to hit targets as they rush by. There are two classes, the amateurs and the professionals. (whom were all women… how cool is that!?)
The festival also had a few horse rides (which I gladly took advantage of) a carriage ride, and pictures with a man dressed as a Samurai.
It may have been a serendipitous thing that the weather was gloomy today because we got a great parking spot and a great spot to take pictures. We had to pay 500 yen to stay in that area and also got tags to pin to ourselves so we could go look around at the festival and come back later without paying again.
Lucky for us, the rain held out so we could watch one amateur and one professional event. We will gladly return next year and hope for sunny skies, blooming cherry blossoms and maybe even pay the 2,000 yen for prime seating!
Directions to Yabusame:
Go out POL gate and continue straight for about 25 mins, you will come to a Y in Towada City, Go left at this Y. You will come to a light after hardoff on your right - turn left at this light. I think it may be the third light you turn right not 100 percent for sure I know there is an aomori bank and softbank sign at the this turn, and just drive straight and you will come to it on the left a little bit down the road.
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