Stroll through town in period costume at the Hita Tenryo Festival, then welcome a night of Sennen Akari

From costume strolls and an arrival procession to hands-on crafts

The Hita Tenryo Festival recreates the bustle of the Edo period in and around Mameda, a district that prospered as a shogunate-controlled domain, or “tenryo”, and developed a vibrant merchant culture. The festival runs on 14 and 15 November, from 10am to 4.30pm, with events spread across Mameda and the area around Tsukikuma Park. Times and locations vary by activity, so it is worth planning your route around the events you want to see.

The costume walk through Mameda lets you explore the district dressed as a samurai, townswoman, merchant or other Edo-period character. It runs from 10am to 4pm on 14 November and from 10am to 3pm on 15 November. Registration and changing take place at the Hanare-zashiki annex of the Mameda Machizukuri History Exchange Centre, and visitors can sign up on the day. The experience lasts 60 minutes and costs ¥500 per person. Check the different closing times and registration location for each day when planning your visit.

The Saigoku-suji Gundai Arrival Procession on 15 November features around 30 participants in historically researched roles, dressed in period costume and make-up as they parade through Mameda. A departure ceremony is scheduled for 1pm in front of the small park at the former Nagayama Government Office site. The procession will travel along Miyuki-dori to Kangien. From 3pm, it is due to set off from in front of Choseien at Kangien, follow Kamimachi-dori and conclude with a ceremony at the small park at the former Nagayama Government Office site at 4pm. If you want to see the procession, visit on 15 November, one of the two festival days.

At the Tenryo Hita Activity Plaza in the grounds of the Mameda Machizukuri History Exchange Centre, the Tenryo Hita Craft Workshop will run in conjunction with Sennen Akari, with activities such as making bamboo lanterns. Workshops and sales by local craft businesses will also be held as the Hita Craft Explorers. These hands-on activities and local products offer a different way to enjoy the district beyond a town stroll.

The Philosopher Stamp Rally is an interactive event taking visitors around the Mameda, station-front, Patr ia Hita and Kuma-machi areas. Collect stamps at locations around the city and from “targets” dressed as notable local figures, then exchange them for prizes such as a Hita cedar file. It runs from 10am to 4pm on both days. Details on how to take part and where to find the stamp stations will be announced later.

Tenryo food stalls and the Tenryo Marche will also be held at the small park on the former Nagayama Government Office site, with food stalls and food trucks run by local businesses and high school students. Both run from 10am to 9pm on 14 and 15 November. The footbath is in a different location: it will be set up in the plaza at the Mameda Machizukuri History Exchange Centre from 10am to 4pm on both days. The plaza will also showcase initiatives to support the recovery of the Amagase Onsen area.

Evening scenes lit by bamboo lanterns and Hita lanterns

For an evening outing alongside the Hita Tenryo Festival, consider Sennen Akari, which starts a day earlier. Held in the Mameda and Maruyama districts and along the Hanazuki River, it runs from 13 to 15 November, from around 4.30pm to 9pm. Bamboo lanterns illuminate Mameda’s old streets and the Hanazuki River. The event was started in 2005 by local volunteers in Mameda, alongside efforts to protect cedar and hinoki cypress from the spread of bamboo. It is also described as one of Oita’s three major bamboo-light festivals.

Hita lanterns will be displayed at places including Nagayama Government Office Site Park and the plaza at the Mameda Machizukuri History Exchange Centre, from 4pm to 9pm on 13–15 November. The lanterns, including “Hita-don”, which stands over four metres tall, will be lit up at night. The display locations and lighting times differ from those for the bamboo lanterns, so you can plan your route around the events you want to see.

Sennen Akari will also host the 3rd Bamboo Lantern Object Contest, with the grand prize decided by votes from visitors on the day. There is more to do than admire the lights: you can also vote for your favourite work. Combine daytime town strolls, the procession and craft activities with bamboo lanterns and Hita lanterns in the evening.

If you are driving, parking near the venues is paid and must be reserved through the smart parking app akippa. For regular vehicles, the residents’ presale costs ¥1,000 per time slot, while general sales cost ¥1,500 per time slot. The residents’ presale runs from 10am on 21 October to 6pm on 27 October; general sales start at 10am on 28 October. Remember to check parking costs separately from the fee for the costume walk.