Festival Focus: Fujisaki Hachimangu (Kumamoto)

The leaves may not be turning until November, but Kumamoto likes to kick off the autumn early with the five-day fall festival at the city's Fujisaki Hachiman Shrine. While the weather may still be a tad on the warm side, who doesn't love dancing, drumming and ... drunken horses??? The origins of the festival are... Continue Reading →

September 9, 2015 2

Crash Course: Yabusame

I mentioned yabusame (archery on horseback) the other week in my post on Culture Day, but it's a topic that definitely deserves its own post. I'd never had the chance to witness yabusame until this past October at the Kumamoto Castle autumn festival but I can now say with authority that it is very, very cool. Yabusame as... Continue Reading →

November 22, 2013 4