Archery has a long history in Japan. Yabusame is horseback archery, a traditional Japanese martial art.

At the Asakusa Yabusame, participants in traditional hunting costumes shoot arrows at targets riding at full speed. Another type of archery shown is Kusajishi, which literally means grass deer. Here the archers try to hit a target that is shaped like a deer. This type of archery originally was hunting practice.

Asakusa Yabusame

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Kusajishi: 11:45 - 12:45 at the Sanya-bori square in Sumida Park between Kototoibashi Bridge and Sakurabashi Bridge
Yabusame: 13:00 - 14:30 in Sumida Park between Azumabashi Bridge and Kototoibashi Bridge

Nearest Station: Asakusa

This is a very popular event and for the best seats you need to buy advance tickets. You can sit very close to the lane that the horses and their riders come through. Advance tickets for Yabusame are 3,000 yen per seat. Tickets can be bought at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information located in front of Senso-ji Temple’s Kaminarimon Gate. Please note that the Yabusame venue gets very crowded and access may be restricted. Admission for Kusajishi is free.

Event website (Japanese) http://www.city.taito.lg.jp/index/event/kanko/asakusayabusame.html