Photo: うぃき野郎 · CC BY-SA 4.0
At the Fujinomori Festival on 5 May, Fujinomori Shrine's kakeuma riders gallop the roughly 180 m south approach performing Fuji-sagari (leaning right back as if shot by an arrow), Tazuna-kuguri and Ichiji-gaki (writing a character with brush and ink at full gallop). The shrine traces the rite to 781.
Why it's unique
The shrine's riders perform acrobatics and calligraphy at full gallop along the approach, in a rite it dates to 781. The shrine also claims to be where the Boys' Day festival began.
The scope is held at city level: the researcher was unsure whether it is unique in Japan and no search was made for rivals, so confidence is lowered.
Before you go
There are two runs, at 13:00 and 15:00. Since 2025 each horse is limited to five runs for welfare, so there are fewer passes than older accounts describe: find your spot early.
The shrine claims to be where the Boys' Day festival began, and horse owners and racing fans pray here for wins. Come back in June for the hydrangea garden. Free; the festival runs 1 to 5 May. A 5 minute walk from JR Fujinomori or Keihan Sumizome.
