Participants dressed as Shinsengumi members shout a victory cry during the parade at the Hino Shinsengumi Festival, May 11, Hino City, Tokyo. (©Sankei by Kenji Suzuki)
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On May 10 and 11, the Hino Shinsengumi Festival returned to Hino City in Tokyo. Hino is a town that once thrived as a post station along the Koshu Kaido. This thoroughfare was one of the five major highways of the Edo period (1600-1868).
A group of master swordsmen formed the legendary Shinsengumi in the final years of that era. They preserved order in Kyoto and cracked down on pro-imperial, anti-shogunate movements. Figures like Commander Isami Kondo, Vice-Commander Toshizo Hijikata, and the famed swordsman Soji Okita have since become enduring folk heroes.
The festival is timed to coincide with the anniversary of Hijikata's death, honoring Hino's most famous native son. Around 200 participants, clad in the Shinsengumi's iconic dandara-patterned haori, paraded through the historic Hino-juku district near JR Hino Station. Their procession drew large crowds of devoted fans.
Costumes, Contests, and Cheers
Held every year on the second weekend of May, the festival includes a Warrior Contest, traditional martial arts demonstrations, and a Kimono Queen Contest. In 2025, the two-day event attracted an estimated 45,000 visitors.
On May 11, the second day of the festival, the highlight event — the Shinsengumi Warrior Parade — took to the streets. Leading the procession was the winner of the previous day's Mr Hijikata contest, followed by a reenactor portraying Commander Isami Kondo, and then participants representing the first through tenth squads. Together, they marched in formation along a roughly two-kilometer route through the Hino-juku district.
Fans from across Japan lined the streets, cheering and shouting "Ei! Ei! Oh!" — a rousing victory cry — as the warriors advanced in full costume.
Local manufacturer Hino Motors portrayed the fifth squad. Hino Motors' team added a playful twist by dancing to the rhythm of their famous jingle.
History Meets Anime
As part of the Warrior Contest, select participants portrayed both Hijikata and Kondo, with one reenactor on horseback riding proudly along the historic Koshu Kaido.
The first squad, led by a performer in the role of Soji Okita, also made a strong showing, bringing to life one of the most iconic figures of the Shinsengumi.
Hino City is the birthplace of both Hijikata and Genzaburo Inoue, who served as commander of the Shinsengumi's sixth squad. It is also home to the Hino-juku Honjin — the only remaining honjin (an official Edo-period inn) in Tokyo — believed to be where Kondo, Hijikata, and others once trained in swordsmanship.
At the closing ceremony, the contest winner portraying Hijikata took the stage, flanked by fellow "warriors," bringing the festival to a spirited close.
Adding a modern touch to the event, a photo spot featuring character panels from the popular Shinsengumi-themed anime The Blue Wolves of Mibu was set up at the venue. Series creator Takeshi Yasuda also hails from Hino. Fans gathered to snap photos with the characters — some even brought dogs dressed in haori, lending a playful charm to the celebration around JR Hino Station.
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- Amazing Edo Tokyo: Rediscovering Tokyo's Artisanal Legacy
- Hokkaido From Edo Samurai to Reiwa Japan: The Challenge of Preserving History
Author: Kenji Suzuki, The Sankei Shimbun
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