Every year, the Shingen-ko Festival celebrates the legacy of Yamanashi’s famous warlord, Takeda Shingen, with the roars of samurai and folks people, delicious food and materials at stands around the station and the castle park with cherry blossoms in full bloom, and a variety of stage shows and performances!

Unrivalled view of the past, before Shingen’s army, headed off to battle more than 1,600 infantrymen from all over his domain would gather and march through the streets of Kofu. If you have travel plans or searching for information for your itinerary, bookmark this event to visit during Spring time in combination with many other Cherry Blossom events.

Shingen-ko Samurai Festival
Source courtesy and Photo credit: Yamanashi-kankou

This year’s festival will be held from April 4th to 6th. The main highlight is the Koshu Battalion Deployment, which is World’s largest re-enactment of warriors. Around 1,600 locals dress in traditional samurai and commence on a march around Kofu.

For more information visit the official Tourism website of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi prefecture “Home of Mt. Fuji”; sightseeing website, information on festivals, culture & Resorts Hot Spring resorts.

Map photo credits: www.mustlovejapan.com

This is by far the most popular samurai festival in Japan. The participants spend the entire year practising for their roles in this event that imitate the battle of Kawanakajima. The armour was worn and the equipment carried is spectacular and accurate. This event would probably be the most recommended event to witness, especially for anyone interested in Japanese samurai culture and Takeda Shingen. The festival is held by Takeda Shrine. To help plan your itinerary and ideas for sightseeing, places to visit, things-to-do visit the video travel guide to Japan; Watch Japan in Motion by Must Love Japan.

To get more ideas for suggested itineraries try Japan the official guide as another source to help to find your destinations or just for more insights all mentioned websites are in English. Visiting Japanese Onsen is a relaxing must and absolute worth to consider and plan as a destination,  Japan the official guide has a listed overview of all Hot Springs here.