Hita Tenryo Festival

Event

Long ago, Hita was ruled by an officer called the Saigokusuji Gundai as an area under the direct control of the Edo shogunate, prospering as a local seat of government among the mountains. The Hita Tenryo Festival recreates this bustling time for modern people to enjoy. A parade is held modeled after the pomp and ceremony which took place when a new Saigokusuji Gundai took office, and people walk about town dressed as samurai, merchants, and commoners, making Hita look as if it has been transported back into the Edo period. At night, some 30,000 bamboo lanterns are lit, creating a magical spectacle along the Kagetsu River and in the Mameda neighborhood.