Setsubun Armor Year-cross in Ashikaga

A traditional Ashikaga festival that has been passed down for more than 100 years.

What is Setsubun Armor Year-cross?
Every year’s February 3 is “Setsubun” festival in Japan, symbolling the end of the winter. On this day, Ashikaga City holds “Armor Year-cross” event, over 200 people would dress as samurai to join the event.
The parade walk to Bannaji Temple from Orihime Community Center.
People celebrate their victory when they arrived at Bannaji Temple, and pray for city’s prosperity.

History of Setsubun Armor Year-cross
Back to the Kamakura period about 750 years ago, a powerful samurai called Ashikaga Yasuuji led 500 samurai to assemble at Bannaji Temple, the residence of Ashikaga Family, in order to honor their family. 120 years later, his descendant, Ashikaga Takauji, became the Shougun of Japan and created the Muromachi period.
This event was closed in the late Edo and Meiji eras, but in 1915 (Taisho 4) it was restarted by a group of fiber workers.
Ashikaga City has samurai armor and kimonos for visitors to try on.

Location Map

Basic Information

Address	Ashikaga City, Tochigi
Telephone Number	0284-41-2627
Website	https://www.ashikagayoroigyouretu.jp/
Date	February 3rd every year
Time	17:00〜（start from Orihime Community Center）
Venue	Orihime Community Center ~ Bannaji Temple
DIRECTIONS	Walk from JR Ashikaga or Tobu Ashikaga City for 15 minutes.
Map Code	34 624 109*83

Southern Area

This area boasts evocative historical buildings and townscapes, such as the Ashikaga School, known for being the oldest school in Japan, and Kura no Machi, a district where buildings from the mid-19th century, a time when the area prospered as a commercial district, still stand. At Ashikaga Flower Park, you can see 350 blooming wisteria flowers, flowing downward from above, creating a world of enchantment.