28th Shinagawa Shukuba Festival
Enjoy a Cool Revival of the Edo Period!

Shinagawa-shuku was the first shukuba (post station) of the fifty-three stations on the Tokaido Road at the beginning of the Edo Period. The Shinagawa Shukuba Festival has started to convey shukuba traditions and cultural heritage to the next generation, and the event marks its twenty-eighth anniversary this year. This varied collection of activities, which include a traditional oiran procession and Edo Period costume parade, is the largest event in Shinagawa City, with many people visiting every year from local areas as well as from domestically and overseas.

September 29 (Sat.)	September 30 (Sun.)
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Oiran procession (from 4:30 p.m.; between Yatsuyama-guchi and Shinagawa Bridge); street performances; booths selling food, drink and other products; a market featuring regional products; and more	11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Traffic safety parade; Edo Period costume parade (from noon; between Yatsuyama-guchi and Aomono-Yokocho); Honsenji Temple firewalking ritual; street performances; booths selling food, drink and other products; a market featuring regional products; and more
Oiran procession	Edo Period costume parade

What Is “Shinagawa-shuku”?

The Tokaido Road was one of the Edo Period’s Five Routes linking Edo (now Tokyo) to Kyoto, and Shinagawa-shuku was the first of its fifty-three post stations. Shinagawa-shuku spread over approximately two kilometers from present Kita-Shinagawa 1-chome to Minami-Shinagawa 2-chome, and flourished as a gateway to Kyoto, Osaka and other areas. Shinagawa-shuku was a jump-off point for those leaving Edo and a welcoming place for those entering the city. In those days, the sight of the ocean and the big white sails filling the marine landscape became very popular with many vacationers. In addition, scenic Shinagawa provided enjoyment in all seasons and was also a good place for relaxation in the outskirts of Edo, with such scenes often captured in ukiyo-e artwork.