Published October 20, 2026 at 7:05 PM JST

In Minamisoma, Fukushima, mounted warriors in family armor gallop, race and chase flags in a living tradition that tourism bodies describe as more than a thousand years old.

Quick answer: Soma Nomaoi is a three day festival of mounted samurai held in Soma and Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, and it is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. For many years it took place in late July, but it moved to late May starting in 2024, so it is typically held in May now, with organizers setting the exact days each year. The highlights are the armored horse race and the sacred flag competition at Hibarigahara.

A samurai festival on horseback

Soma Nomaoi is one of the great horse festivals of Japan. Hundreds of riders in armor, carrying banners that belong to their family lines, gather in the Soma region on the Pacific coast of Fukushima Prefecture. Tourism sources give different rider counts, with some saying over 400 and others saying around 500, so the number is best treated as roughly four to five hundred.

The name can be roughly translated as the chasing of wild horses in Soma. The festival is staged across several locations, and the Japan National Tourism Organization describes it as a three day event of historical battle reenactment and horsemanship. A tourism page from Fukushima Prefecture calls it one of the six major festivals of the Tohoku region, and it has been described as one of the world's great equestrian festivals.

The festival is also formally recognized. It is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, a status that honors traditions handed down by communities over many generations.

Origins in military training

Local tradition ties the festival to Taira no Masakado, a warlord of the tenth century who is said to be the ancestor of the Soma clan. According to the accounts, he used wild horses as stand-ins for enemy soldiers in a military drill, and the horses that were caught were offered to the deities.

The Soma clan later moved to the area that is now Minamisoma. According to nippon.com, the family settled there in 1323 and has kept the tradition alive ever since. Even today, a descendant of the clan takes the role of commander in chief at the festival. Tourism pages commonly say the festival has more than a thousand years of history.

Over the centuries, the Soma Nomaoi grew from training exercise into a ritual of prayer and community pride. The armor, flags and weapons used today are family treasures, and the Minamisoma City Museum displays related armor and a set of folding screens showing the festival, which Fukushima Prefecture has designated an important tangible folk cultural property.

A change of season

A detail that surprises many readers is the date. For a long time, Soma Nomaoi was known as a midsummer festival in late July, and many older guides still say so. According to a Minamisoma City Museum newsletter, the festival moved to May starting in fiscal 2024. Recent listings give the 2026 dates as May 23 to 25, Saturday to Monday.

Because the festival has changed its schedule several times in the past, the safest approach is to check the official festival executive committee or the city for the dates in the year you plan to visit. In general, expect a Saturday to Monday span in late May, with the main day in the middle.

What happens on each day

The first day opens with ceremonies. Riders in samurai dress set out from three shrines in the region, namely Soma Nakamura Shrine, Soma Ota Shrine and Soma Odaka Shrine, to the sound of conch shell horns. The commander in chief is formally welcomed, and the riders make their way toward the main grounds at Hibarigahara. A listing for 2026 also mentions an eve-of-festival horse race on the first afternoon at the main grounds, described as a recreation of an old style of racing.

The second day is the main festival. A mounted procession in armor moves toward Hibarigahara, and the Kacchu Keiba, or armored horse race, takes place, followed by the Shinki Sodatsusen, the sacred flag competition. Fukushima's tourism site describes the race as a 1,000 meter circuit with ten armored riders, while the flag contest is the climax, with fireworks launching two flags into the sky and the mounted warriors racing to catch them.

A third element is the Nomakake. In this ritual, men dressed in white drive wild horses toward a shrine, catch one with their bare hands and offer it to the deity. Tourism sources describe it as the part that best preserves the original form of the old tradition. In older schedules it came on the last day, and some recent listings place it on the morning of the main day, so check the current program.

Armor, flags and horsemanship

The visual feast is a big part of the appeal. The riders wear armor passed down through their families and carry ancestral flags, which gives the field a look like a painted scroll of the Warring States period.

The armored horse race is a brief but dramatic sprint, and the crowd can feel the speed as the horses thunder past. The flag competition is quite different, a swirling scramble in which riders compete for flags that drift down from the sky after fireworks. Both are best enjoyed from the viewing areas that the organizers set up at Hibarigahara.

A tradition that carries on

The people of Minamisoma take great pride in the festival, and it has carried on through hard times. According to JR East, it was held on a reduced scale in the year of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and it has continued in the years since, with riders and volunteers keeping the old ways alive. Local museums and shops also play a part, since armor and weapon displays appear at road stations, libraries and sweet shops in Soma and Minamisoma, according to the Fukushima tourism site.

For those who enjoy history, the Minamisoma City Museum is a helpful stop. It displays armor and weapons and explains the story of the festival, and visitors are encouraged to learn the background beforehand for a richer experience.

Visiting Soma Nomaoi

The nearest main station is Haranomachi on the JR Joban Line. The festival grounds at Hibarigahara are about ten minutes by taxi from the station, and a shuttle bus runs on the main day, according to local listings. The Japan National Tourism Organization gives one route from Tokyo as the Shinkansen to Fukushima Station followed by buses, and the JR Joban Line is another way to reach Haranomachi.

On the second day, a ticket is required to enter the Hibarigahara grounds for the armored horse race and the sacred flag competition, whereas events on the other days are described as free to watch. Photography may require a permit in certain areas, so read the guidance at the venue. Remember that the horses are large, fast and excited, so stay behind barriers and follow the instructions of the staff. Bring water, a hat and sun protection for a day outdoors.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Soma Nomaoi held?

It is typically held over three days in late May, a change from the late July dates that applied before 2024. In 2026 the listed dates were May 23 to 25. The organizers set the schedule each year, so check the official festival site before you travel.

What is the sacred flag competition?

The Shinki Sodatsusen is the climax of the festival. Fireworks send two sacred flags high into the air, and hundreds of mounted riders race to catch them as they fall. It takes place at Hibarigahara on the main day, after the armored horse race.

Do I need a ticket to watch?

For the armored horse race and the sacred flag competition at Hibarigahara on the main day, an admission ticket is required according to local listings. Other days and events are described as free to watch. Ticket arrangements can change, so check with the festival executive committee.

Further reading: the nippon.com guide to Soma Nomaoi, the Japan National Tourism Organization page on the Soma Nomaoi Wild Horse Chase Festival and the Fukushima travel page on the horseback samurai parade.

Keep exploring: Nikko Toshogu Spring Grand Festival: Mounted Archers and a Samurai March; Kamakura Matsuri: Shizuka's Dance, Samurai Archery and a Spring Parade; Sendai Aoba Festival: Sparrow Dances and a Samurai Lord's Parade; Aizu Festival: Lords, Lanterns and Bandaisan Dancing in Aizu-Wakamatsu.