Asakusa Yabusame initially started as a New Year’s tradition at Asakusa Shrine during the Edo period (1603-1867), but this horse-riding archery event was revived as a festival in 1983.
The day starts out with the kusajishi archery at 11.45am, where several men wearing formal samurai court robe and traditional head gear compete in aiming at a 110cm-tall deer-shaped target from about 20 metres away. This event is free to watch and doesn't require tickets.
Unfortunately, tickets for the main yabusame archery event are sold out. This show, which starts at 1pm, features archers in traditional samurai hunting costumes aiming at targets while riding on a horse.