The Kachiya Festival is an annual event held on May 5th at Kameido Katori Shrine in Tokyo. It celebrates a famous victory by a samurai named Fujiwara no Hidesato over a thousand years ago. Before he went into battle against a powerful enemy, Hidesato stopped by the Katori Shrine to pray for success. When he won, he came back and left a victory arrow (kachiya) there as a thank you.
The main attraction of this festival is a parade where people dress up in old samurai armor like they would have worn back in the Heian period, mimicking Hidesato’s triumphant return. The parade starts at Kameido Central Park and ends at the shrine, with the lead participant carrying a symbolic victory arrow.
Besides watching the parade, visitors can enjoy performances, martial arts shows, and traditional music. There are also plenty of stalls selling food and crafts, making it a fun day out where you can eat, shop, and soak up some Japanese history.
