The Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu (箱根大名行列), or Feudal Lord's Procession, is a Culture Day tradition that recreates an Edo-period lord's journey through the Hakone Yumoto hot-spring town. In 2026, the 73rd procession takes place on Tuesday, November 3, a national holiday.
This guide covers the procession route and passing times, the November 3 road closures, and the best places to watch away from the biggest crowds. Everything here comes from the official timetable and the Odawara Police road-closure notice.
Early November is also peak foliage season, so it's easy to build a full day around the procession and Hakone's autumn foliage.
You can watch from the roadside, with no reserved seats, reservation, or tickets announced. Come by train rather than car, and aim for Taki-dori between about 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. for a calmer view.
What happens in 2026
The 73rd Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu runs through the Hakone Yumoto onsen town on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. It's organized by the event's executive committee, with the Hakone Yumoto Tourism Association as the contact point.
The procession travels about two kilometers to chants of "shita-ni, shita-ni" ("down, down"), with yakko spear-twirlers, geisha, and matchlock gunners marching in formation modeled on the grandeur of the 113,000-koku Odawara domain. The 2026 special guest is the TV personality Ikue Sakakibara.
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Date | Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (national holiday) |
Area | Hakone Yumoto onsen town (about 2 km) |
Nearest station | Hakone-Yumoto |
Watching | From the roadside (no reserved seats, reservation, or tickets announced) |
Organizer | 73rd Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu Executive Committee (contact: Hakone Yumoto Tourism Association) |
The procession is not recruiting members of the public to march in 2026, but spectators can still watch from the roadside as usual. Drones are not allowed on the day, either for flying or filming.
The route and passing times
The procession heads downhill from Hotel Nanpuso, at the far end of the onsen town, toward Hakone-Yumoto Station, and finishes at the Yumoto Fujiya Hotel near the station. If you watch from the station area, you can catch the procession just after 2 p.m.
The day opens at 9:30 a.m. with a performance by the yakko alone at Ajisai Bridge. The main column then leaves Hotel Nanpuso at 11:30 a.m.
Here are the approximate passing times. The organizer notes that times and performance spots can change on the day, so it pays to pick your spot a little early.
Point | Approx. |
|---|---|
Hotel Nanpuso (start) | 11:30 depart |
In front of Hotel Okada | around 11:40 |
Ayumibashi Bridge | around 11:45 |
Tensei-en | 12:00 arrive / 13:20 depart |
Hakone Parks Yoshino | around 13:30 |
Kisenso | around 13:40 |
Onsenba-iriguchi | 14:00 depart |
Near Hakone-Yumoto Station | around 14:10 |
Yumoto-ohashi Bridge | around 14:30 |
Yumoto Fujiya Hotel (end) | around 14:45 |
The column breaks for lunch at Tensei-en from noon until 1:20 p.m. Even if you miss the first half around midday, you can still catch the second half afterward as the procession continues toward Hakone-Yumoto Station.
Where to watch and beat the crowds
Taki-dori, between Tensei-en and Hakone-Yumoto Station, is the spot the organizer itself recommends for a more relaxed view. The column passes this stretch between about 1:30 and 2:00 p.m., so getting there by 1:30 lets you settle in and watch without a scramble.
The area in front of Hakone-Yumoto Station and along Route 1 fills up later in the afternoon. Entry to the station concourse is restricted from 1:30 p.m.
Six bridges on the route close to pedestrians while the column crosses them. Odawara Police also note that the stretch from Yumotobashi Bridge to Route 1 is off-limits while the procession passes, so cross to the other bank via Asahibashi Bridge instead.
The old highway (Soun-dori) is not on the route, which makes it a handy way around the crowds.
Road closures and access on November 3
According to Odawara Police, the roads along the route are closed to vehicle traffic from about 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on November 3. On Route 1, the section between Shin-asahibashi and Yumoto-ohashi switches to alternating one-way traffic from 1:55 to 2:40 p.m.
From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., cars cannot enter or leave parking lots along the restricted roads. Around Hakone-Yumoto Station, taxis and large tour buses also cannot pick up or drop off.
Local buses skip the Hakone-Yumoto Station and Onsenba-iriguchi stops from 1:55 to 2:40 p.m. For Miyanoshita, Kowakudani, and Miyagino, use the Tonosawa stop; for Kazamatsuri and Odawara, use the Sanmaibashi stop.
Plan on the Hakone Tozan Railway or the Odakyu line rather than driving.
Drivers passing through by car are asked to detour onto the toll-free Hakone-Shindo, since Route 1 gets very busy during the procession.
Large tour buses are directed to the free parking lot at Suzuhiro Kamaboko in Kazamatsuri, two stations from Hakone-Yumoto.
Rain plan and other events on the day
As of October 2026, officials have not announced whether the procession will go ahead in the rain. If the weather looks uncertain, check the Hakone Yumoto Tourism Association's official site for the latest word before you set out.
The day also brings drumming: the Shinmeicho Taiko Preservation Society plays from around 11 a.m., and Soyo High School's taiko club from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
A product fair featuring goods from Toyako Town, Hokkaido, runs at the Yumoto Fujiya Hotel from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There is also a meet-and-greet area where you can take photos with members of the procession.
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.