Soma-Minamisoma Nomaoi: Thousand-Year-Old Armored Warrior Cavalry Procession

"Soma Nomaoi," held every early summer in the Soma region of Fukushima Prefecture (Soma City, Minamisoma City and elsewhere), is a traditional event with about a thousand years of history, designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. It is said to have originated when Taira no Masakado carried out military training treating wild horses as enemy soldiers, and it has been handed down without a break through the age of the warring states and on into the present. The sight of several hundred armored warriors galloping in attire straight out of the Sengoku period is truly a living picture scroll of history.

Soma Nomaoi

Soma Nomaoi, held in Soma and Minamisoma, Fukushima, is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property with approximately 1,000 years of history. Said to originate in the military training rituals using wild horses.

The "Ogyoretsu" Procession, Like a Sengoku Picture Scroll

What adorns the first day of the festival is the "Ogyoretsu" (grand procession). Mounted warriors, clad in armor handed down from their ancestors, swords at their waists and banner poles dyed with their ancestral crests standing at their backs, advance along the highway with stately dignity to the sound of conch-shell horns. The procession of several hundred riders arrayed around the supreme commander is a spectacle in itself, and the sound of hooves and the gleam of armor draw the onlooker back into the Sengoku period.

Highlights

• Armored Cavalry Procession: Parade of armored warriors on horseback in formation
• Sacred Flag Contest (Shinki Sodatsusen): Mounted warriors compete to capture sacred banners (streamers) dropped from the sky
• Nomakake: Ceremony presenting wild horses to the shrine

The Climaxes: "Kacchu Keiba" and "Shinki Sodatsusen"

The greatest highlights of the festival are the "Kacchu Keiba" (armored horse race) and the "Shinki Sodatsusen" (sacred flag contest). In the Kacchu Keiba, riders in full armor gallop the course at top speed with their back banners streaming, kicking up clouds of sand as they compete. In the Shinki Sodatsusen that follows, several hundred riders rush toward sacred flags launched aloft by fireworks, and the scramble for the falling banners is thrilling to watch. Loud cheers and applause rise from the spectator seats.

Best Season and Access

Soma Nomaoi is usually held over three days at the end of May (formerly the end of July). The venue, the Hibarigahara Festival Grounds, can be reached from "Haranomachi Station" on the JR Joban Line by shuttle bus to the site or on foot. Traffic restrictions are in place during the festival period, so using public transportation is reassuring. Paid spectator seats are also available, and securing a seat in advance is recommended for those who want to take in the horse race and the flag contest at leisure.

Getting There

• Alight at JR Joban Line Haranomachi Station (Minamisoma) or Soma Station
• Accessible by highway bus or train from Sendai and Koriyama

Tips

This tradition has continued despite the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake — a source of local pride and symbol of recovery. Early accommodation reservation is essential.

Practical Information on the Festival (based on the 2026 event)

• Dates: Friday, May 22, 2026 for the eve-of-festival events; Saturday, May 23 to Monday, May 25, 2026 for the main events
• Venues: The Hibarigahara Festival Grounds (Haramachi Ward, Minamisoma City) and others, including Soma Nakamura Shrine and Soma Odaka Shrine
• Nearest station: Haranomachi Station on the JR Joban Line. About 10 minutes by shuttle bus to the festival grounds
• Parking: Free (divided into chartered-bus-only and passenger-car-only areas)
• Food stalls: Available. The official guidance notes that "it is extremely crowded every year"
• Restrooms: Temporary restrooms, including multipurpose restrooms, are installed
• In case of rain: The event goes ahead in rain. However, it may be cancelled in the event of a disaster or when a weather warning is issued

*The fees, seat types and sales periods for paid spectator seats, and the times and areas of the traffic restrictions, are not published on the official website. Please check the latest information on the official website of the Soma Nomaoi Executive Committee before visiting.*

(Sources: Soma Nomaoi official website, Minamisoma City official website)

Practical Information

• Usual timing: The official guidance of the Soma Nomaoi Executive Committee gives it as "the three days of the last Saturday, Sunday and Monday of May every year"
• Minamisoma City Museum (east of the Hibarigahara Festival Grounds; permanent exhibition on Soma Nomaoi): 9:00–16:45 (last admission 16:00). Admission for the permanent exhibition alone is 300 yen for adults, 200 yen for high school students and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students. When a special exhibition is being held, adults pay 400 yen
• Closing days of the Minamisoma City Museum: Every Monday (open if Monday is a public holiday, with the following weekday closed instead), the day after the final day of Soma Nomaoi, and the year-end and New Year period (December 29 to January 3)
• Inquiries: 0244-22-3064 (Soma Nomaoi General Incorporated Association / Soma Nomaoi Executive Committee Secretariat, weekdays 8:30–17:15, closed on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) / 0244-23-6421 (Minamisoma City Museum)
• Official information: Soma Nomaoi official website (Soma Nomaoi Executive Committee) / Minamisoma City official website, "Minamisoma City Museum Viewing Guide"

*The above is based on information published by each facility and local government. Hours and fees are subject to change, so please check official sources before visiting.*