Festivals - Tokyo Intro: Experience #8 of 55

Tori No Ichi Festival Lineup

There are many festivals in Tokyo.  Spring has three big traditional Shinto festivals in Tokyo.  These are the Sanja Matsuri in May (even years only) or the Kanda Matsuri in May (odd years only), and the Sanno Matsuri in June (even numbered year).  At these festivals, a big portable shrine is paraded around the area, there are rituals, festival booths are set up, and lots of people attend.

There are many other summer, fall, and winter festivals in Tokyo.  Google for the month you are going to see if you can fit one in your schedule.  The Tori no Ichi (rooster) festival is held in November two or three times, depending on the Chinese calendar.  Originally a post-harvest ritual, this is a Tokyo tradition where lucky rakes are purchased and old ones exchanged to bring in luck for the next year.  At the end of the year, Hatsumode and Setsubun festivities are undertaken to ward off evil and bring in the new year.  Around the shrines or temples there are often streets of vendor booths for playing games and buying all sorts of Japanese festival food (their tasty version of fair ground food).

Festivals are generally quite crowded as they are special events with a high attendance.  For example, to get into the shrines for Tori no Ichi or New Years, you may have to wait in long lineups.  Other than the shrine festivals, there are also many other festival/special events in Tokyo such as:

• Design Week,
• Design Festa
• Cherry Blossom Festivals
• Art Shows at the National Art Center and other venues
• Ramen Food Festivals like the Tokyo Ramen Show
• Performing Arts Competitions like the Dream Yasakoi Matsure or Asakusa Taiko Festival
• Music Festivals like Summer Sonic and many others
• Summer fireworks displays like the Sumida Fireworks Festival
• and much more. See the event calendar at www.gotokyo.org.

Dream Yosakoi Matsuri in November
I'll make a special mention about Yosakoi dancing which combines traditional Japanese dance moves with modern music as a synchronized team dance.  Yosakoi has colorfully dresssed dancers, gear, and flags and is fun to watch.  I ran into this event in Odaiba on one visit and was very impressed.  Teams from around Japan compete in this event.

My visit to the Tori No Ichi Shrine Festival.

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