The 76th Himeji Castle Festival will take place from May 22 to 24, 2026, and applications are now open for participants in the "Himeji Daimyo Procession," one of the festival's main highlights.
About the Festival
The Himeji Castle Festival celebrates the city's rich history with its centerpiece event, the "Himeji Daimyo Procession." The city has been working to recreate authentic feudal lord processions using historically accurate costumes and props based on the "Kentokuin-sama Shogun Onmyodai Jokyo Gyoretsuzu" (owned by Himeji City) and other historical records.
Participants will experience what life was like during the Edo period by joining a procession modeled after the "Banshu Himeji Sakai Ugaku-no-kami Ongyoretsu," a procession diagram depicting the Himeji Sakai clan's sankin-kotai (alternate attendance) journey, housed at the Iwase Bunko Library in Nishio City.
Event Details
Date: May 23, 2026 (Saturday), 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM (tentative)
Location: Otemae Street (tentative)
Participant Categories
1. Shosa (Performance) Participants (Practice Required) - Limited spots
These participants will learn and perform "shosa," the traditional mannerisms and movements from the Edo period. Participation in practice sessions (three sessions held at Himeji City Hall) is mandatory before the main event.
2. Namba-aruki (Walking Style) Participants - Approximately 60 people
These participants will march to the rhythm of drums. Both categories will wear historically recreated costumes and use period props.
Reference Resources:
- Himeji Daimyo Procession Information
- Himeji Daimyo Procession Reenactment Video - Performance inspired by the Honmachi San-chome Daimyo Procession Preservation Society (Iida City, Nagano Prefecture)
- Iida Oneri Matsuri Performance Video - Performance by the Honmachi San-chome Daimyo Procession Preservation Society at the Iida Oneri Matsuri
Application Period
January 5, 2026 (Monday) to February 16, 2026 (Monday)
Eligibility Requirements
For Shosa (Performance) Participants:
- Age 18 or older (as of April 1, 2026)
- Must be available for practice sessions
Practice Details:
- Period: April to mid-May
- Frequency: Approximately 3 sessions
- Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Location: Himeji City Hall (4-1 Yasuda, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture)
For Namba-aruki (Walking Style) Participants:
- Junior high school age or older (as of April 1, 2026)
- Must attend both the event on May 23 (Saturday) and the participant orientation on May 10 (Sunday) morning (the orientation will be held in a hybrid format with both in-person and online options)
How to Apply
During the application period, access the "Himeji City Online Application Portal" through the application form below and submit your entry.
The Himeji City Online Application Portal is a system that allows certain procedures to the city to be completed via the internet. Applicants are responsible for communication costs (data charges).
Important Notes
- If applications exceed capacity, a lottery will be held. Results will be sent via email from the Himeji Castle Festival Executive Committee Office in early to mid-March.
- Those who have email filters or spam settings should configure their email to accept messages from the Himeji Castle Festival Executive Committee Office (oshirofes@city.himeji.lg.jp) by February 16, 2026.
- If contact cannot be made after selection via email or phone, the selection may be canceled.
- Preferred role requests will be considered as reference, but selection does not guarantee assignment to the preferred role.
- Costumes are made to fit adults with a height of 170 centimeters. Those under 150 centimeters may have difficulty wearing the costumes.
- Some props carried by footmen and attendants are very heavy. Those requiring special consideration should note this in the "Other (free description)" field of the application form.
- Proxy applications without the applicant's consent are not permitted. Junior high and high school students must obtain parental consent before applying.
- Cancellation after selection is not permitted. Transfer or resale of selection rights to third parties will result in invalidation.
- If vacancies occur, additional lotteries will be conducted. Additional selectees will be contacted individually by the Himeji Castle Festival Executive Committee Office.
- No performance fees, transportation costs, or meals will be provided.
- The Himeji Castle Festival Executive Committee Office will arrange group accident insurance (no individual cost required). Compensation is based on contract terms, and coverage does not apply if participants fail to follow organizer instructions.
- The Daimyo Procession may be canceled if the Himeji Castle Festival is canceled or if it rains (including light rain). Response in case of cancellation is as follows:
| Cancellation Decision Date | Response |
|---|---|
| Event day | Daimyo costume fitting experience and photo session (tentative) |
| Day before or earlier | None |
Personal Information and Portrait Rights
- Collected personal information will be used only for this event and will not be used for other purposes.
- Various media may photograph the event, and images may be published in newspapers, television, social media, etc. Additionally, photographs taken by organizers may be used in future Himeji Castle Festival promotional activities including printed materials, websites, and social media. By applying, participants consent to this usage.
- If celebrities or famous individuals participate in the procession, actions that violate portrait rights or disruptive behavior such as requesting autographs are prohibited.
