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

Soma Nomaoi

Soma Nomaoi (Wild Horse Chase) held the fourth Saturday through Monday of July each year 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 of the Soma clan, successors to Taira no Masakado, who used wild horses.

Highlights

• Armored Cavalry Procession: Parade of over 500 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

Main Event Schedule

• Day 1: Evening horse race (equestrian competition)
• Day 2: Grand procession (armored cavalry parade) and sacred flag contest
• Day 3: Nomakake ceremony

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.