Shingen-ko Festival 2027
Kofu's streets fill with roughly 1,500 armour-clad marchers and around 30 horses re-enacting the Koshu army's departure for battle - a Guinness World Record 'largest gathering of people dressed as samurai,' held on the first weekend of April.
When · Where
- When
- 2027/04/02 12:00 – 2027/04/04
- Where
- Maizuru Castle Park (Kofu Castle Ruins), Kofu（1 Marunouchi 1-chome, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-0031）
- City
- Across Japan
- Getting there
- Maizuru Castle Park is a 3-5 minute walk from JR Kofu Station, reachable by limited express (Azusa/Kaiji) on the JR Chuo Line in about 90 minutes from Tokyo/Shinjuku. IMPORTANT: as of mid-2026 the 53rd festival's exact 2027 dates had not yet been officially announced; based on the fixed pattern of the last two editions (the Friday-Sunday containing the first Friday of April), the festival is expected around April 2-4, 2027, with the main Koshu Gundan armour procession on Saturday, April 3 - confirm on the official site before booking travel.
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Shingen-ko Festival Executive Committee (信玄公祭り実行委員会), within the Yamanashi Tourism Organization
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Maizuru Castle Park is a 3-5 minute walk from JR Kofu Station, reachable by limited express (Azusa/Kaiji) on the JR Chuo Line in about 90 minutes from Tokyo/Shinjuku. IMPORTANT: as of mid-2026 the 53rd festival's exact 2027 dates had not yet been officially announced; based on the fixed pattern of the last two editions (the Friday-Sunday containing the first Friday of April), the festival is expected around April 2-4, 2027, with the main Koshu Gundan armour procession on Saturday, April 3 - confirm on the official site before booking travel. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers
Highlights
- The Koshu Gundan Shutsujin: roughly 1,500 armour-clad participants and about 30 horses, organized into the Takeda 24 Generals' units, muster at Maizuru Castle Park and march out to re-enact departing for the Battle of Kawanakajima against Uesugi Kenshin
- Certified by Guinness World Records since 2012 as the largest gathering of people dressed as samurai (1,061 verified participants) - now promoted as 'the world's largest samurai procession'
- A torchlit war-council scene (gunhyo hyojo) is re-enacted on a special stage at Maizuru Castle Park before the march, with actors playing Shingen and his generals beneath a forest of clan banners
Background & story
The festival grew out of a Kofu cherry-blossom event first held in 1947 and was relaunched under its current 'Shingen-ko' name and format in 1970, amid a wave of popular interest in the Sengoku era. It re-enacts Takeda Shingen's Koshu army departing Kofu for the Battle of Kawanakajima against his rival Uesugi Kenshin. The festival has occasionally shifted dates - including a move to autumn in 2022 and 2023 - before returning to its traditional early-April slot from 2025.
Good to know
Free viewing space along Heiwa-dori fills up fast, so stake out a spot well before the Koshu Gundan Shutsujin march begins in the afternoon. If the 2027 dates shift from the estimate above, Kofu's tourism division (055-231-2722) and the official festival site are the fastest ways to confirm before you travel.