Join the Aizu Samurai Festival: Parade Only

The main parade of the famous three-day Aizu Festival will be held on Saturday 20th September, 2025. In this special program, you’ll participate in the procession as a Japanese samurai of the Aizu Domain, who ruled here before their defeat at the dawn of the Meiji Restoration. The highlight of the festival, in this parade you’ll join roughly 500 lords, nobles, soldiers, squires, court ladies, dancers and more as they walk through the streets surrounding Tsurugajo Castle. Aizu’s largest festival, memorialising the Aizu Domain warriors who lost their lives fighting Imperial forces in 1868, also includes swordsmanship demonstrations, a lantern parade and traditional folk dancing. There are two courses available; this plan only includes participation in the parade, although it includes the same interpreter, armour and weapons as the other plan. For the 'Total Samurai' plan, a premium experience including a visit to a swordsmith and a samurai swordsmanship class, please see the other listing. Tour price: 15,000 yen (An optional hotel stay on Friday 19th is available for an extra 7,000 yen per person.) ⭐ All genders welcome ⭐ English guide included ⭐ Armour and weapons included (weapon availability TBC) ⭐ Breakfast included with optional hotel stay --- SCHEDULE ✅Thursday, 19th September (For participants joining from the previous day) -　(If hotel option selected) Check-in at 3:00 PM -　Stay overnight at Aizu-Wakamatsu Ekimae Fuji Grand Hotel (dinner not included) ✅Friday, 20th September – Parade Day For participants staying at the hotel from 19th: - Meet at 7:30 AM in the hotel lobby (breakfast included) For parade-only participants (joining on 20th): - Meet at 7:50 AM in front of the “Tsurugajo Godo Chosha” bus stop (鶴ヶ城合同庁舎前バス停), located near Aizuwakamatsu City Hall – Otemachi Second Office (追手町第二庁舎) [Google Maps:https://maps.app.goo.gl/jK9QSApg4mUH2XRN8] All participants: - 8:00 AM: Arrive at Tsurugajo Castle and change into armour - Join the Aizu Festival procession - Farewell and departure by 2:00 PM at the latest --- The 2024 edition of the festival was affected heavily by bad weather that caused some festivities on the previous night to be cancelled, and the parade was held with participants wearing plastic ponchos as to not damage the traditional armour. Please be aware that the event may be subject to change. Read about our experience joining the Aizu Festival last year: https://fukushima.travel/blogs/a-guide-to-the-aizu-festival-%E2%80%93-and-how-to-join-yourself/158 More information about the Aizu Festival: https://fukushima.travel/destination/aizu-festival/205 This experience is run by the tour operator, Aizu Dream Development. https://att.add.travel/ --- Please contact fukushima_tour@tif.ne.jp for more details about this year's festival.

• Days of Week

  Sat

• Duration

  7 hours

• No Hotel

  JPY 15,000

• Hotel Stay

  JPY 22,000

• Highlight #1

  Join the famous Aizu Clan Lord Procession

• Highlight #2

  Experience the Aizu region's biggest festival

• Highlight #3

  Visit Aizu-Wakamatsu City and explore

• What's Included

  • Hotel stay on Friday 19th September (optional)
  • English-speaking festival guide
  • Parade armour and weapons
  • All travel costs during the tour

• What's Not Included

  • Please arrange your own transportation to and from the Aizu area.
  • Please arrange your own dinner plans for the night of Friday 19th September.
  • Lunch on the day of the festival

• Requirements

  • All genders are welcome.

• Cancellation Policies

  30%

  31 days before to 00:00

  40%

  20 days before to 00:00

  50%

  1 day before to 00:00

  After 00:00, 1 day before

  100%

  Participation Date