Verified [Verified] denotes information that has been published with confirmation of its owing parties.
The dignified figure of a boy shooting arrows from a horse and his gorgeous costume are amazing to see.
Yabusame (archery on horseback), a Shinto ritual at Izumo-Iwai Shrine, is a traditional event that has been passed down for over 950 years and continues to this day. It is said that it started when Minamoto no Yoshiie dedicated yabusame (archery on horseback) here after he had conquered Oshu.
It is currently held twice a year, in spring (second Sunday in March) and autumn (November 3). It is one of the few yabusame (horseback archery) events in Japan that is held in a riding ground at the shrine in both spring and autumn.
The autumn Yabusame (archery on horseback) is held on the day of the main festival and is dedicated to three horses: the first horse, the second horse, and the third horse. The archers, called Noriko (riders), are chosen from elementary and junior high school students in the town, and they repeatedly practice until the day of the festival to prepare for the yabusame event. The arrow target is about 200 meters long, and it is a dignified sight to see a young boy shooting an arrow from a running horse at great speed. It is a unique event at Izumo Iwai Shrine that the archers are children. One of the highlights of the festival is the gorgeous costumes and the many horseback riding tricks.
The first, second, and third horses line up for the dedication.
A dignified boy shooting arrows from a horseback.
看到少年騎在馬上奔馳射箭，動作行雲流水很穩健，一定要經過長時間訓練才能達到。
