Fall is when numerous events related to Japanese traditional culture and history take place. Kimono Week in Hagi, held in October, is an event where people walk around town dressed in kimonos. The castle town and other parts of Hagi still retain their historical architecture, and kimonos go well with those old-fashioned townscapes. Putting on a kimono to take pictures on the road outside samurai residences or to go dining is a different way to enjoy your time in Hagi. Another October event is the Hagi Bamboo Lamp Festival, which takes place at night. During this event, the castle town is lined with candle-lit bamboo lamps that softly illuminate the streets. It’s a very different atmosphere from how the castle town appears in the daytime.

The Hagi Jidai Festival is held in mid-November each year. During the Edo period, it was customary for feudal lords from each region of Japan to visit the Shogun in Edo (Tokyo) once every two years together with their many retainers. This was called the “Daimyo Procession.” The Hagi Jidai Festival recreates the Daimyo Procession. During this event, people dressed as Edo-period warriors in traditional costumes parade through the town.

The Hagiyaki Festival, which involves exhibitions and sales of Hagi yaki pottery, a traditional Hagi craft with a history going back more than 400 years, takes place in mid-October. Numerous Hagi yaki shops in the Hagi-Tamachi shopping arcade participate in this festival. Hagi yaki is distinctive for its soft texture, and in the past, it was mostly used for tea ceremony dishes. In modern times, it has received high acclaim both as daily use tableware and as works of art. The Hagiyaki Festival is held each year in spring and fall.

As we approach the end of November, the temperature gradually drops and the leaves on the trees begin to turn a colorful red. Some of the places in Hagi where colorful fall leaves can be enjoyed are Daisho-in Temple, Toko-ji Temple, and the Kikuya Family Residence. The Kikuya Family Residence is the manor house of the Kikuya Family, which served as official merchants of the Hagi domain. It features a large, beautiful garden. The manor and garden, which are normally closed to the public, are open to the public especially for the fall leaf viewing season.