Most viewed - Asakusa Sanja Matsuri Festival 浅草三社祭 |
The golden sculpture is atop the Asahi Beer building in Asakusa. It's supposed to be beer froth, but most people think it looks like doo-doo.411 views
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Sanja Festival395 views
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The three-day Asakusa Sanja Matsuri is held during the weekend of the third Sunday of May. Numerous portable shrines (mikoshi) parade all over Asakusa amid huge crowds. Most of these photos were taken on May 17-18, 2008. (B/W ones taken some years ago.)340 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri313 views
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Tekomai geisha312 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri294 views
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Sanja Matsuri: Not sure if this is a geisha group or a kabuki group.294 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri in front of Sensoji temple.267 views
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On the second day (Sat.) of the Asakusa Sanja Matsuri at noon, numerous mikoshi (portable shrines) gather behind Sensoji temple, and wait their turn to depart for the streets of Asakusa.264 views
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Sanja means "Three Shrines," dedicated to the two fishermen who found the Kannon buddha statue and the wealthy landlord who converted them to Buddhism. The statue became the object of worship that founded Sensoji Temple.261 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri260 views
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Golden Dragon Dance (Kinryu no Mai).237 views
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Never too busy for a phone call.225 views
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The mikoshi passes under Kaminarimon Gate, a symbol of Asakusa. The giant red lantern is collapsed upward to make room.225 views
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White Heron Dance (Shirasagi no Mai).224 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri184 views
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Taiko drummer180 views
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A higher view.177 views
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The same man some years before??173 views
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Mikoshi drummer169 views
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Festivals are tiring.167 views
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Mikoshi and the infamous beer sculpture.166 views
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Dolls representing three of Asakusa's most famous festivals appear. This is Sanja Matsuri. On the right, notice the foreign woman doll with blond hair.161 views
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From 12:30 pm, amid a sea of people, the mikoshi leave one after another. 観音本堂裏広場に集合159 views
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Kaminarimon-dori road during Sanja Matsuri157 views
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A sea of people in front of Sensoji temple in the area I call "The Pit."155 views
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Above the Asakusa Tourist Information Center is this clock which opens and chimes every hour. This clock is no more since a new building for the tourist information center opened in April 2012.151 views
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A mikoshi in front of Asakusa Shrine.148 views
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The mikoshi is brought in front of Sensoji temple one after another from all directions.141 views
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Kaminarimon-dori road is closed to traffic during the festival. Unlike other Asakusa festival processions, there is no parade route. The whole area is teeming with portable shrines. Kaminarimon-dori, Nakamise arcade, and Sensoji temple are main areas.135 views
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Mikoshi bearers135 views
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They are deified by Asakusa Shrine next to Sensoji Temple. The festival's formal name is Asakusa Jinja Reitaisai. The festival's formal name is Asakusa Jinja Reitaisai.132 views
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The mikoshi come from over 40 neighborhoods of Asakusa. 氏子各町神輿連合渡御、発進131 views
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Drunkard on street131 views
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Asakusa Shrine also has a stage for various entertainment such as an Asakusa geisha dance.129 views
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The Sanja Festival is known to have many yakuza gangsters participating. However, I hardly saw any this year. Perhaps because the three Sanja mikoshi were not paraded this year and they could not ride on it half naked. Or they were all covered up.124 views
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This is what it looks like at the ground level in "the pit."123 views
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This mikoshi is heading to the front of Sensoji temple. I followed them.121 views
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Tekomai hairstyle121 views
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Asakusa Sanja Festival120 views
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Panoramic shot of a mikoshi n front of Kaminarimon Gate. I was in a tight squeeze during this shot, mixed in with the mikoshi bearers.117 views
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Quite a few women carried the mikoshi too.116 views
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A sea of people.115 views
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Heading to the front of Sensoji temple.115 views
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Phoenix atop the mikoshi roof.113 views
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The three Sanja mikoshi portable shrines dedicated to the three fishermen who founded the Kannon statue. Unfortunately, the parading of these mikoshi was canceled this year (2008) because people always stood on the beams to ride on it.111 views
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Left side of Sensoji temple, in "the pit."110 views
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Festival music (drums and flute).110 views
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Some foreigners also carry the mikoshi.109 views
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The mikoshi rests too.109 views
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What it looks like from the left side of Sensoji temple.108 views
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Headband108 views
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The mikoshi also leave Sensoji temple and head to the Nakamise shopping arcade.108 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade.108 views
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They receive their blessings, then leave.107 views
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On the left, the mikoshi navigator refers to his festival map and schedule.107 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade106 views
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Mikoshi for the kids too.106 views
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Float for festival music.106 views
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OK, break time is over and they pick up the mikoshi.106 views
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After passing through Hozomon Gate, they enter Nakamise shopping arcade.105 views
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Heading down Nakamise shopping arcade.105 views
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This is what it looks like in front of Sensoji temple.104 views
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One funny old man took his bicycle right through the crowd. He was soon escorted out.104 views
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Mikoshi passing through Asakusa Shrine, right next to Sensoji temple.104 views
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And taiko drumming.104 views
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Storehouse for the three Sanja mikoshi portable shrines.104 views
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What it looks like when you carry the mikoshi.104 views
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Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.104 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.104 views
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Meanwhile, inside Sensoji temple, worshippers who managed to squeeze through the crowds go inside the temple to pray.103 views
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Worshippers line up to pray at Asakusa Shrine.103 views
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People are not supposed to stand on the mikoshi.103 views
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The Sanja Matsuri also includes a small but photogenic procession of geisha. Tekomai geisha lead a small group of geisha and other characters.103 views
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Tekomai geisha103 views
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Mikoshi also depart the left side of Sensoji temple.102 views
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Heading to Hozomon Gate.102 views
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Asakusa Shrine torii.102 views
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Geisha102 views
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Ladies with flower hats102 views
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"OK mom, I'll pick up the bread, milk, cereal, and natto after this festival is over."101 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.101 views
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They look pretty anyway.101 views
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Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.100 views
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Police watch the crowd on Kaminarimon-dori99 views
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Passing through Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.99 views
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Crowded even along Nakamise shopping arcade's back alley.99 views
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Behind us was also a big crowd.99 views
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I caught up with the geisha procession.99 views
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The geisha group at Hozomon Gate.98 views
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Under Kaminarimon Gate.98 views
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Area in front of Kaminarimon Gate97 views
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Passing through Kaminarimon Gate. This group is from Kaminarimon.96 views
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Passing through Kaminarimon Gate.96 views
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Ice cream break.95 views
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Taking a break in front of Kaminarimon Gate.91 views
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