The biggest event in Toshogu Shrine is held on May 17th and the 18th. The Samurai style 1,000-person procession is carried out on the 18th. Tourists will be impressed by this powerful procession.

Divine spirit of Ieyasu Tokugawa was moved from Mt. Kuno to Nikko. The Samurai style 1,000-person procession is a revival of festival at that time. Also, Each ceremony has religious meaning.

First, the festival starts at 10 o'clock on the 17th, when family members of Tokugawa attend the ceremony. Three portable shrines go for Futarasan Shrine after the ceremony. Those shrines are put in Haiden oratory of Futarasan Shrine. Festival of Yoina is carried out then, and the shrines stay overnight there. Shinto priests of Futarasan and Toshogu are on night duty on that day.

The shrines stay overnight in Futarasan Shrine, which is located on the west of Toshogu Shrine. It means that Ieyasu moves to the west pure land after he passed away. Shrines move to Otabisho Shrine then, but the Otabisho is treated as the Mt. Kuno, where Ieyasu was enshrined for the first year after his death.

Ceremony is carried out at 10 o'clock on the 18th. That ceremony is to move divine spirit to the portable shrine, and wait for the following festival of Togyosai.

The Togyosai starts at 11 o'clock. 1,200 members of parishioner gather in the precinct of Futarasan Shrine, and move portable shrines to the Otabisho through the 1km long road. Procession is divided into three groups such as "Three sacred horses," "Shinken-mihata," and "Three portable shrines." Each group goes forward as if they guard each other.

The portable shrines are put in the main hall of the Otabisho after they arrived. Also, foods are dedicated to the God in the Haiden oratory. Special dish is prepared for that ceremony. The divine dish is dedicated to the God after Shinto Priest shook holy stick three times (For left, right, and left again.)

In addition to that, Yaotome maiden dance, Azumaasobino-mai (Dance of Azumaasobi) are dedicated. After that, the procession goes for the Toshogu Shrine around 1pm. The ceremony ends when the procession comes back to Toshogu.

Also, Yabusame (Archery on horseback) is performed on the front approach at 1pm on the 17th.

By the way, portable shrines move accompanied by procession on October 17th in the Autumn Festival also. Size of the procession is cut in the Autumn Festival. It is 8 00-person procession, and single portable shrine.