2026 Yonezawa Uesugi Festival to be Held!

Yonezawa City in Yamagata Prefecture will host the Yonezawa Uesugi Festival from April 29 (Wed/Holiday) to May 3 (Sun/Holiday), 2026!

Yonezawa Uesugi Festival Official Website

Opening Festival <April 29, 2026 (Wed/Holiday)>

The Yonezawa Uesugi Festival was once called the castle town's spring festival.

For snowy Yonezawa, this festival is a seasonal tradition that announces the arrival of spring after surviving a long and harsh winter. The Opening Festival marks its beginning. On this day, which is the anniversary of Uesugi Kenshin's death, as many as 800 dancers dressed in colorful costumes perform various dances, including alternating parades of the Shin Hanagasa Ondo and Hanagasa Ondo.

"Opening Ceremony"

Time: 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Contents: Opening Taiko drums (Uesugi Taiko Preservation Society), Dedicatory Dance (Fujimi-kai)

"Minyo Nagashi (Folk Dance Parade)"

Time: 11:15 AM - 12:40 PM

Location: Front of former Yoneori Kaikan to the plaza in front of Denkoku no Mori

Contents: Alternating parade of Shin Hanagasa Ondo and Hanagasa Ondo

"Stage Events"

Time: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Location: Special stage in front of Denkoku no Mori

Contents: Performances such as singing and dancing, local performing arts such as folk songs and Taiko drums

Minyo Nagashi Minyo Nagashi

Buteishiki and Buteishiki Procession <May 2, 2026 (Sat)> / Venue: Plaza in front of Denkoku no Mori

The 'Buteishiki', a ritual to summon the guardian deity of the army that Uesugi Kenshin always performed before a battle, will take place. Centered around the members of the Buteishiki Preservation Society, it is solemnly performed for about an hour amidst brightly burning bonfires.

"Traditional Martial Arts Dedicatory Demonstration"

Time: From 4:30 PM

"Yamagata Ai no Bushotai Demonstration"

Time: From 5:30 PM

"Uesugi Taiko Performance"

Time: From 6:10 PM

"Buteishiki"

Time: 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Buteishiki Buteishiki

◆Highlights

~Buteishiki Army Procession~

Time: 4:25 PM - 5:10 PM

Before the 'Buteishiki' held at night, Lord Kenshin and the 28 Uesugi Generals will march along the route from Uesugi Family Mausoleum -> Senkatsuin -> Uesugi Shrine to pray to the spirit of the family ancestor, Lord Kenshin.

Buteishiki Army Procession Map

Uesugi Army Procession & Battle of Kawanakajima <May 3, 2026 (Sun/Holiday)>

In the morning, the majestic Uesugi Army Procession and a gorgeous portable shrine parade will march down the main streets of the city.

From 2:00 PM, the 'Battle of Kawanakajima' (Autumn of Eiroku 4), said to be the greatest mortal combat in Sengoku history where the Uesugi and Takeda armies clashed, will be reenacted at the Matsukawa riverbed. With the snow-capped Mt. Azuma in the background, firing matchlock guns, the famous scene of 'San-tachi Shichi-tachi' where Uesugi Kenshin single-handedly slashed into the Takeda army, and a full-scale clash by all units involving about 500 warriors from both armies make the battle scenes incredibly powerful, exactly like a Sengoku picture scroll revived in modern times.

"Uesugi Army Procession"

Venue: Within Yonezawa City

Time: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Scheduled)

"Battle of Kawanakajima"

Venue: Matsukawa Riverbed

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Uesugi Army Procession San-tachi Shichi-tachi Uesugi Matchlock Squad