Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine Festival
Every year in mid-September, there is a large festival in Kumamoto called the Annual Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine. It is a very unique festival with a parade of horses and lots of dancing and music, which I am sure you will enjoy. The 21st will be the main date of the festival this year, athough other activities will be going on concurrent with the conference.
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2008 activities (http://www.jnto.go.jp/)
Annual Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Pref. Shishi-kazari-oroshi (Lion Dance) is performed by about 68 people from around 11 am and Kagura (sacred dance) is dedicated to the Shrine from around 3 pm on the 13th. Noh (classical masked drama) is performed from 11:30 am to 12 noon on the 15th in the precincts of the Shrine, and from 9 am to 12 noon on the 21st at Otabisho (portable shrine storage). Zuibyo Gyoretsu or Umaoi (horse chasing) is the main event of the festival and held on the 21st. A parade of three Mikoshi (portable shrines) followed by a procession of armored warriors and 68 horses decorated with flowers departs from Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine at 6 am, and assembles in Otabisho at 8:30 am, and then leaves Otabisho at 2:30 pm for parading through the city's main streets and returns to the Shrine at 4:10 pm.