Step Back to the Sengoku Period: Summer Festival with Lord Hideyoshi and Lord Toshiie at Nagoya Sword World
On Friday, July 24, 2026, the Nagoya Sword Museum—known as “Nagoya Sword World”—transforms its Main Building 2nd Floor lobby into a spirited summer festival ground where history and family entertainment converge. This single-day event, titled “Summer Festival with Lord Hideyoshi and Lord Toshiie,” offers visitors the rare opportunity to interact with two of Japan’s most pivotal historical figures while experiencing traditional festival culture within the context of one of the nation’s premier sword collections.
The afternoon brings together Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi—the warlord who completed the unification of Japan—and Lord Maeda Toshiie, the distinguished warrior and founder of the Kaga domain, both portrayed by members of the Nagoya Omotenashi Bushotai®. Adding to the spectacle, the Jingasa-tai Odori-mai will perform traditional dances in conical war hats, creating an atmosphere that bridges the museum’s martial artifacts with the lively entertainment of the Sengoku period.
What distinguishes this festival from standard summer matsuri is its integration with the museum’s unique identity. While visitors explore the blade collections that define Nagoya Sword World, they can also participate in classic carnival activities including target shooting (shateki), ring toss (wanage), and capsule toy vending machines—each offering substantial prizes. The program extends beyond games to include a formal tea ceremony demonstration, curated photo opportunities with the warlord reenactors, and informative gallery talks that contextualize the weapons within Japan’s festival traditions.
For families considering attendance, July 24 presents a significant financial incentive: admission is free for children of elementary school age and younger exclusively on this date. This represents a departure from standard pricing, which typically charges junior high and elementary students at the door. To accommodate this offer, parents should notify the staffed reception at the museum shop on the 1st floor of the North Building upon arrival, as admission tickets will be issued for eligible children.
Event Details
Date and Time
Friday, July 24, 2026, from 10:00 to 17:00 (final admission at 16:30)
Venue
Nagoya Sword Museum “Nagoya Sword World”
Summer Festival Venue: Main Building 2nd Floor, Lobby in front of the entrance gate
Admission Fees
- General: 1,200 yen
- Seniors (65 and older): 1,000 yen
- University/High school students: 500 yen
- Junior high/Elementary school students: Free admission only on Friday, July 24
- Preschool children: Free
- Persons with disabilities (including one companion): Free *Please present your disability certificate.
- Groups (20 or more people): 300 yen discount for General admission / 100 yen discount for non-General categories
Note: Since admission tickets will be issued for children of elementary school age and younger, please notify the staffed reception at the museum shop on the 1st floor of the North Building.
Access
- 10-minute walk from Yabacho Station on the Nagoya City Subway Meijo Line
- 9-minute walk from Osu Kannon Station on the Nagoya City Subway Tsurumai Line
- 12-minute walk from Fushimi Station on the Nagoya City Subway Higashiyama Line
Contact
Nagoya Sword Museum “Nagoya Sword World”
Email: [email protected]
Homepage: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000077.000023091.html
Nagoya Sword World is a historical theme park and museum located in Aichi Prefecture, exploring Japanese sword craftsmanship and Sengoku period military history. The facility centers on a reconstructed Edo-period castle town, where timber-framed buildings house both permanent exhibitions and working forges. Smiths demonstrate traditional folding and tempering techniques using the same grades of tamahagane steel and pine charcoal that defined the era’s metallurgy.
The collection features authenticated nihontō historically linked to Central Japan’s warlords, including several blades attributed to the region’s major clans. Rather than presenting these weapons in isolation, the park examines their physical construction within the context of 16th-century warfare. Visitors can observe the differential hardening process that produces the hamon (temper line), examine the grain structure of traditional steel, and discuss with artisans how smiths balanced hardness against brittleness when forging weapons intended for battlefield use.
The programming particularly investigates the military alliance between Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Maeda Toshiie, two figures who established their power bases in this region. Historical reenactments and seasonal performances analyze the political strategies and logistical challenges that defined this relationship. The annual Summer Festival expands these themes through extended theatrical programming and temporary exhibitions drawn from private collections.
Educational offerings range from wood sword training for younger visitors to advanced seminars on metallurgical analysis and blade appraisal. The facility accommodates various levels of prior knowledge, providing structured entry points for newcomers while maintaining the technical precision required by serious researchers. This approach allows direct engagement with martial traditions without compromising the historical accuracy of the demonstrations or the safety of the participants.
