Private multi-day tour · Multi-day from Tokyo
From Tokyo: 3-Day Nada Fight Festival Customizable Tour
Watch heavy mikoshi shrines crash together at the Nada Fight Festival in Himeji on 14 or 15 October, and visit Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden.
Private · your group only◆3 days◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private tour, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
The Nada no Kenka Matsuri, or Nada Fight Festival, is the autumn festival of Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in the Shirahama area of Himeji. It is held each year on 14 and 15 October.
Teams of men carry three heavy portable shrines, called mikoshi, and smash them against each other. The louder the crash, the happier the gods are said to be. Seven villages also carry tall decorated yatai floats with loud drums. The noise, the crowds and the energy are hard to forget.
Your guide knows the area and helps you find a place to stand. The festival is free to watch. It is crowded, and there are no seats.
On the same trip you visit Himeji Castle, the white castle that is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has its original keep. Next to it is Koko-en Garden, nine small gardens in the style of the Edo period.
This is a date-fixed product. Day 2 is always 14 or 15 October.
This is a private tour. Only your group. One van, 1 to 6 people, never shared. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu.
If the Nada Fight Festival is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead spend more time at Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden, and visit Engyoji temple on Mount Shosha.
DAY 1 (13 or 14 October) Pickup at your Tokyo hotel and drive to Himeji (about 8 to 9 hours with breaks).
DAY 2 (14 or 15 October) Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden in the morning, then the Nada Fight Festival at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine.
DAY 3 Drive back to your Tokyo hotel (about 8 to 9 hours with breaks).
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Watch mikoshi shrines crash together at Nada
- Hear the drums of seven villages' yatai floats
- Find a good standing place with a local guide
- Climb the original keep of Himeji Castle
- Walk the Edo-style gardens of Koko-en
Said plainly
Dates: 14 and 15 October each year. Choose a start date of 13 or 14 October. The festival is crowded and rough. You watch standing. Please follow your guide and the police. Small children are not advised. If the Nada Fight Festival is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead spend more time at Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden, and visit Engyoji temple on Mount Shosha. Wear shoes you can stand in for many hours. Loading
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Watch mikoshi shrines crash together at Nada
Hear the drums of seven villages' yatai floats
Find a good standing place with a local guide
Climb the original keep of Himeji Castle
Walk the Edo-style gardens of Koko-en
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private van and English-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Tokyo
- All parking, fuel and road tolls
- Himeji Castle entry
- Koko-en Garden entry
Yours — paid on the day
- Hotel accommodation (you book your own hotel in Himeji)
- Meals and drinks unless listed as included
- Gratuities, which are never expected in Japan
- Optional food at festival stalls
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole private group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help. If a typhoon or official weather warning stops the trip, we offer a new date or a full refund. For a GetYourGuide booking, the terms shown on that booking apply.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
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From¥247,000
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