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An exciting cultural celebration inspired by historical events and held in honor of famous warlord Uesugi Kenshin
Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture
Uesugi Kenshin was a famous general and lord from the Sengoku period (1467-1568) whose castle was located in Joetsu. Known as one of the period’s strongest generals and a just leader, Kenshin continues to be adored by citizens and students of history. The Kenshin Festival is held every August to celebrate Kenshin’s memory. The festival includes a parade of warriors in period armor and helmets, as well as a thrilling reenactment of a battle with rival general Takeda Shingen’s troops.
The Kenshin Festival has been held every year since the Showa era without a single interruption, despite turbulent times during and after the war, thanks to the people of Joetsu. There is a local legend that, even amid the turbulence of the Sengoku period, Uesugi Kenshin invited commoners to Kasugayama Castle once a year to thank people for their work, and this too is said to have given rise to the festival.
How to get there
From JR Tokyo Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Joetsu Myoko Station (about 1 hour 50 minutes), then take the Echigo Tokimeki Railway/Myoko Haneuma Line to Kasugayama Station (about 10 minutes). The headquarters are a 1- minute walk away from Kasugayama Station, and other venues are accessible via shuttle bus.
44-1 Motoshiro-cho, Joetsu-shi, Niigata-ken
