Celebrate the coming of autumn with the 53rd Kichijoji Autumn Festival on September 13 and 14. The event will be taking place in the bustling Sunroad and Daiyagai shopping arcades in front of Kichijoji Station’s north gate.
See portable mikoshi floats departing Musashino Hachiman shrine at 11am on Saturday, as they are led by a priest riding a sacred horse, heading towards Kichijoji Station via Sunroad Street. The procession will meander its way around the shopping arcades and return to the shrine the next day.
The biggest spectacle however will be the combined procession of 11 mikoshi floats on Sunday at 2pm in front of Kichijoji Parco. Floats from various local neighbourhood associations will gather here for a spectacular showcase.
There will also be traditional music performances and matsuri festival food stalls. Notable highlights include the Musashinobayashi folk music performance, a heritage that has been taught and passed down through generations in the Musashino Hachiman shrine for over 160 years. Musashinobayashi folk music will be performed from a mobile stage that accompanies the float procession.
For the procession map and event details, check the festival website.