2026 Shimoda Drum Festival Full-Day Experience Course
This is a one-day course centering on the first day of the 'Shimoda Drum Festival' (held August 14-15, 2026), held in the historic port town of Shimoda where the Black Ships arrived. During the day, interact with marine creatures at Shimoda Marine Aquarium, take a stroll down Perry Road known as the path of opening the country, and experience the late Edo period history at Ryosenji Temple. After finishing dinner and souvenir shopping at a roadside station, the main event begins in the evening as drum performances unfold centered on Shimoda Hachimangu Shrine. The powerful sound of drums befitting a port town with a history of Black Ship arrival will become an unforgettable memory together with the sea breeze. It's a day where you can fully savor Shimoda's charm: exploring the port town during the day and experiencing the heat of drum performances at night.
Schedule
Experience dolphins and sea lions at an aquarium that utilizes a natural inlet
A stroll through the opening-of-the-country streets lined with stone-paved pathways and namako-wall storehouses
A temple connected to the Black Ships' arrival and the site where the Shimoda Treaty was signed
Local seafood delicacies and souvenirs, an early dinner before the festival begins
A grand drum festival where drum groups from each district compete at a port town
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