Held annually in Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, the Kameoka Mitsuhide Festival is a long-running historical event that brings the Sengoku period vividly to life. Centered on a grand warrior procession, the festival reenacts scenes inspired by period picture scrolls and honors Akechi Mitsuhide, the warlord who built Kameoka as a castle town.
Nationally, Mitsuhide is best known for his role in the Honnō-ji Incident of 1582, a pivotal moment in Japanese history. During this incident, Mitsuhide unexpectedly attacked his lord, Oda Nobunaga, at Honnō-ji Temple in Kyoto. Nobunaga died during the assault, bringing a sudden end to his campaign to unify Japan and dramatically altering the course of the Sengoku era. Because of this event, Mitsuhide has often been portrayed as a traitor in popular history.
In Kameoka, however, a different legacy is remembered. Mitsuhide is respected as a capable and humane ruler who carried out flood control projects, reduced the tax burden on local residents, and governed with consideration for the people. The festival reflects this local perspective, commemorating his achievements and reaffirming the city's historical identity.
The highlight of the event is the Akechi Mitsuhide Warrior Procession. Participants selected through a public application process take on key historical roles, wearing authentic armor and period costumes prepared by specialists. As they parade through the former castle town, the streets fill with spectators, creating a vivid connection between present-day Kameoka and its Sengoku-era past.
