Sanja Matsuri
sanja matsuri 三社祭 literally three shrine festival sanja festival one three largest shinto festival tokyo considered one wildest largest japan festival held honor hinokuma hamanari hinokuma takenari hajino nakatomo three men established founded sensōji buddhist temple sanja matsuri held third weekend every may asakusa shrine prominent parade revolve around three mikoshi portable shrine referenced festival name well traditional music dancing course three day festival attracts million local tourist every year like many japanese festival sanja matsuri religious celebration unusual survival crossfaith festival weekendlong shinto festival dedicated kami spirit three men founded buddhist temple believed two fishermen—brothers named hinokuma hamanari hinokuma takenari—found statuette bodhisattva kannon caught fishing net sumida river early morning march third man wealthy landlord named hajino nakatomo heard discovery approached brother converted buddhism three men devoted life buddhist faith consecrated statue small temple temple known sensōji currently house kannon statue oldest temple tokyo sanja matsuri appears many form date back early th century well several name kannon matsuri asakusa matsuri sanja matsuris present day form established edo period shōgun tokugawa iemitsu commissioned construction asakusa shrine shinto shrine dedicated three kami existence shrine helped solidify festival importance well current structure organization religious origin sanja matsuri primarily festival celebration atmosphere around asakusa weekend festival charged energetic people continuously flood street surrounding sensōji flute whistle chanting taiko traditional japanese drum heard throughout district festival main attraction three asakusa shrineowned mikoshi appear third final day festival three elaborate black lacqueredwood shrine built act miniature portable version asakusa shrine decorated gold sculpture painted gold leaf mikoshi weighs approximately one ton cost ¥ million construct carried four long pole lashed together rope need approximately people dispersed evenly safely carry throughout day total people participate carrying shrine importance three mikoshi spectacle carried street area immediately surrounding shrine busy people carried shaken bounced vigorously action believed intensify power kami seated shrine help bestow good luck upon respective neighborhood unusual someone standing pole supporting mikoshi shouting waving order help direct people carrying shrine sense direction essential trying keep one ton mikoshi accidentally colliding streetside shop causing considerable damage three primary mikoshi important object roaming street sanja matsuri approximately smaller mikoshi paraded neighborhood saturday shrine several solely carried woman small child though part festivity official start sanja matsuri begin thursday important religious ceremony ceremony requires asakusa shrine head priest perform ritual move enshrined kami three men asakusa shrine three mikoshi paraded around asakusa weekend opening small door located mikoshi interior obscured public small cotton curtain three spirit invited miniature shrine reside duration festival festival publicized beginning start friday daigyōretsu 大行列 literally large parade held famous block grand procession yanagi street nakamisedōri asakusa shrine event used energize community known participant lavish costume heronhooded dancer geisha city official wearing hakama traditional japanese clothing musician performer dancer also parade street asakusa traditional japanese attire procession evening six mikoshi central neighborhood sent parading street shoulder several dozen people following day saturday approximately mikoshi asakusa district gather kaminarimon paraded nakamisedōri stop hōzōmon pay respect kannon afterwards mikoshi carried asakusa shrine shinto priest bless purify coming year ceremony completed carried back paraded respective neighborhood sanja matsuris important event occurs following sunday procession three asakusa shrineowned mikoshi begin march nakamisedōri toward kaminarimon early sunday morning three elaborate shrine honor represent three men responsible founding sensōji final day festival important mikoshi split order visit bestow blessing district downtown residential asakusa evening fall three shrine find way back asakusa shrine another grand procession last late night addition traditional event sanja matsuri several popular draw example festival goer visit hundred shop found nakamise street connecting kaminarimon hōzōmon many small food stand also erected surrounding area entire weekend yakuza member also proudly show tattoo spectacle draw crowd geisha taiko performance take place specific time throughout weekend saturday sunday geisha traditional attire put performance – pm second floor asakusa kenban performance require visitor purchase ticket ranked one best geisha show japan sunday afternoon member nihon taiko dojo prominent tokyo taiko academy perform free halfhour traditional music show asakusa shrine though many activity sanja matsuri time dependent event start stop specific time throughout weekend culture japan japanese calendar official website japanese