The Shinagawa Shukuba Festival, also known as the Shinagawa Shukuba Matsuri, is a festival celebrating Shinagawa’s history as the first rest stop on the Tokaidō Road heading south.
What happens?
The Tokaidō was Japan’s main east-west route linking Edo (Tokyo) with Kyoto during the Edo period. This is a fun excuse for the locals to put on fancy dress and pretend to be samurai, geisha, courtesans, and other historical characters. The Oiran Dochu — courtesan procession — won’t happen in 2023.
The festival will be happening on Saturday and Sunday along a stretch of the ‘Old Tokaidō’ (now a suburban street) between Shimbamba and Aomono Yokocho stations on the Keikyu Main Line.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.