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Kamakura Matsuri - Tokyo Hotels .com

A portable shrine at Kamakura Matsuri

Political intrigue, brutal warfare, cultural revolutions--throughout its history, the City of Yokohama-Kamakura seems to have seen it all. The region's dramatic history is the inspiration behind Japan's yearly Kamakura Matsuri festival, which is celebrated nationwide at many different locations.

In Tokyo, the core of the celebration is Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, the city's largest shrine. Thousands of Japanese gather every year at the shrine to honor the fallen heroes of Kamakura's violent past--particularly Yoritomo Minamoto, the man who first established the Kamakura Shogunate in 1192. Each of the festival's events, from the sacred dances to the portable shrine parade, is infused with historical meaning. Perhaps the most dazzling event of all is the Yabusame (or horseback archery competition), in which students from the shrine's archery school demonstrate their mastery of the bow.