What began over 1,000 years ago as a military training exercise started by the founder of Fukushima Prefecture’s Soma Clan has transformed over the centuries into a fantastic annual festival, where men and women clad in traditional samurai armor compete in various races in order to receive blessings at local shrines. Not only is theContinue reading Soma Nomaoi 2018: Festival Guide
Last weekend I visited the Soma Nomaoi Festival. This 3-day festival takes place during the last weekend of July every year, and is centered around 3 main shrines in Minami Soma and Soma. It is thought that the festival has its roots in a local tradition from the 10th century, when horses were chased andContinue reading Watching Exhilarating Samurais on Horseback - Soma Nomaoi
