The Asakusa Kusajishi is an traditional archery ceremony held at Sumida Park in the Asakusa district in mid-April. On this day, the Asakusa Yabusame (shooting arrows from running horseback) and the Asakusa Demonstration of Japanese Traditional Martial Arts are also practiced at adjoining venues in the park. The Asakusa Kusajishi and the Asakusa Demonstration of Japanese Traditional Martial Arts are free to see, while you need to buy a ticket beforehand to see the Asakusa Yabusame.

Asakusa Kusajishi

Asakusa Kusajishi (浅草草鹿) is an archery event held in Sumida Park in the Asakusa district. The park is located along the Sumida River. Kusajishi is a style of traditional archery which is said to have begun in 1194 (but actually, it may be older than that.)
Its venue is an 11-minute walk from Asakusa Station of the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, or Tobu Skytree Line.

The archers clad in formal samurai wear of the Kamakura period arrives at the venue.

The target is shaped like a deer. Kusajishi literally means "grass deer," and in olden days, the target used to be a grass-made deer.