Meiji Jingu Autumn Grand Festival: Three Days of Ceremonial Performances and How to Choose a Date

During the Autumn Grand Festival, celebratory performances are offered, including bugaku, Noh and Kyogen. Some events take place on the stage in front of the shrine or at other locations in the grounds. The festival brings together traditional performing arts and ceremonies. It is also an opportunity to learn about the range of performances offered throughout the festival, rather than focusing on just one.

The published materials do not specify the dates and start times for individual performances or where they will take place. If there is a particular art form you want to see, first note the festival dates, then check the official event information before setting out. You can plan separately around ceremonies and events listed for specific dates and the performances offered throughout the festival.

The Enshrinement Anniversary Ceremony on November 1 commemorates the day Meiji Jingu was founded, November 1, 1920. It is presented as a ceremony rooted in the shrine’s history and held on the first day of the festival. If you would like to learn about the occasion behind the ceremony, its date can help you choose when to visit.

November 3 is the day for yabusame

Yabusame is presented as an event held on November 3, the birthday of Emperor Meiji. One of the festival highlights is watching archers on horseback shoot a flat board target held between skewers with kaburaya (whistling arrows). Meiji Jingu’s event information also notes that this date is the Emperor’s birthday and that an imperial envoy is sent from the Imperial Palace for the festival.

If you are visiting for the Enshrinement Anniversary Ceremony, November 1 is the date to consider; if you want to see yabusame, November 3 is a useful guide. The materials do not give the start time for yabusame, where or how to watch it, the ceremony time or any conditions for attending. Check the official information before making plans, rather than assuming a particular time or viewing arrangement.

Performances of bugaku, Noh and Kyogen are also listed as events during the festival. If you have a particular performance in mind, check its date and venue, then choose your visit date alongside the events listed for specific days. This can make it easier to plan across the three days.