Most viewed - Asakusa 浅草 |
Sometimes on the way to Sensoji temple in Asakusa, you might see stalls selling seasonal gifts like the Hozuki Ground Cherry Pod Fair held on July 9th–10th.142 views
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Battledores were originally used to play a game called hanetsuki, similar to badminton with a shuttlecock. The battledores are now mainly used to dispel bad luck and for decoration.141 views
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Yuka-chan, A.B.S.UNIDOS DO URBANA based in Nagoya at Asakusa Samba 2016.140 views
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Traditional footwear139 views
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This is on the main road in front of Kaminarimon Gate (giant red paper lantern). The procession occupied one lane of road as they headed for Kaminarimon Gate.139 views
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Large crowd wait for the mikoshi to be carried back to Asakusa Shrine via Nakamise arcade at 6 pm.139 views
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139 views
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Incense burner138 views
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Prayers in front of the altar and offertory box.138 views
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The shirasagi white heron dancers. There are eight of them. They were to perform the dance at 2:30 pm in front of Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon) temple.138 views
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Hozuki Ground Cherry Pod Fair held on July 9th–10th in Asakusa.138 views
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White Heron Dance (Shirasagi-no-Mai) was performed three times in Asakusa on April 13, 2014. Their second performance was held here on the roof of Matsuya Dept. Store at 2:30 pm.137 views
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Kimono shop136 views
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136 views
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136 views
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The mikoshi is brought in front of Sensoji temple one after another from all directions.136 views
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Place to buy a omikuji fortune paper.135 views
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Hondo worship hall 本堂135 views
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132 views
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Asakusa Samba Carnival132 views
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At the end of the year and New Year's, auspicious red and white and New Year's decorations are put up.131 views
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Hondo worship hall 本堂131 views
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Hozomon Gate130 views
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Hondo worship hall side view 本堂130 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.130 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130 views
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Mikoshi bearers130 views
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129 views
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Asakusa Samba Carnival129 views
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129 views
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Drunkard on street128 views
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Every April 8, if it's a nice day, I try to visit a different temple in Japan to see Hanamatsuri. This year I decided to see it in Asakusa.128 views
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Paper umbrellas127 views
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Right after hitting the first target, the archer starts to pull out another arrow for the next target.126 views
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126 views
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The baton twirler does his thing as the crowd gathers around.125 views
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Giant straw sandal.124 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.124 views
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The Shirasagi-no-Mai White Heron Dance is performed in Asakusa on the second Sunday of April, mid-May for the Sanja Matsuri, and on Nov. 3.124 views
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Asakusa Samba 2016 onsen-theme float 124 views
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Hozomon Gate's giant paper lantern.123 views
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Asakusa Shrine also has a stage for various entertainment such as an Asakusa geisha dance.123 views
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Asakusa Samba Carnival123 views
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Hozomon Gate ahead. 宝蔵門122 views
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Shirasagi dancers along Nakamise after passing through Hozomon Gate.122 views
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Shirasagi dancers proceeding back to Nakamise.122 views
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121 views
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This is the first target which is near the starting point. Love it when the target shatters like that.121 views
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Prices and sizes of battledores vary widely. They can be small and as cheap as 1,000 yen. This one is about 18,000 yen.121 views
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120 views
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The bird feeder (esa-maki 餌まき) holds a nice box containing pieces of colored paper.120 views
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If you look at their white heron costume, you can see that it's quite ingenius, the way it functions and the way it looks.120 views
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Shirasagi-no-Mai White Heron Dance at Asakusa.120 views
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Archer119 views
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The horseback archer raises his bow and arrow high in the air as he nears the target.119 views
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Don't climb up any trees or step into the azalea bushes please. この叔父、つつじに入っちゃダメですよ。119 views
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Steps going up to the Hondo main worship hall.119 views
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White heron dancer on a mural at Asakusa Station.119 views
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Approaching another gate called Hozomon Gate. 宝蔵門118 views
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118 views
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This is what it looks like at the ground level in "the pit."118 views
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118 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.118 views
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There are various characters in the White Heron Dance contingent. This is the baton twirler (bo-furi 棒ふり) in orange pants followed by the bird feeder.118 views
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118 views
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118 views
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When the Buddha was born, he walked seven steps and said, "I am my own Lord through Heaven and Earth," and pointed one hand to Heaven and the other to Earth.118 views
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The local Asakusa tourist association resurrected the dance in 1968. A picture scroll showed that it was performed in 1652 at Sensoji.118 views
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Incense burner always attracts a crowd.117 views
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117 views
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117 views
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Close-up of the heron head.117 views
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Nakamise sells all kinds of Japanese things. Originally, they catered to religious pilgrims. Now it's mostly tourists.116 views
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Paintings on ceiling inside Hondo worship hall.116 views
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Asakusa Sanja Festival116 views
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The procession, headed by chigo children, pass through Kaminarimon Gate.116 views
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The contingent pass through Hozomon Gate which is right in front of Sensoji temple.116 views
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115 views
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This mikoshi is heading to the front of Sensoji temple. I followed them.115 views
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Another shirasagi shadow.115 views
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Fingers fastened to the wings control the wings.115 views
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Asakusa Samba Carnival115 views
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Deer skin114 views
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Tekomai hairstyle114 views
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I'm not sure how they keep the tall bird head and neck on their heads.114 views
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113 views
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Being the main gate, Hozomon Gate is much bigger than Kaminarimon Gate, and it also had a giant paper lantern.113 views
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This is the umbrella holder (ogasa 大傘). He doesn't really shade anyone.113 views
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Shirasagi dancers spreading their wings.113 views
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For their third and last performance at 3:30 pm on April 13, 2014, they they walked/danced through the Nakamise mall leading to Sensoji temple in Asakusa. The man is the baton twirler, followed by the bird feeder and the dancers.113 views
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The dancers leave Sensoji.113 views
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Wooden targets112 views
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A sea of people.111 views
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Heading to the front of Sensoji temple.111 views
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Quite a few women carried the mikoshi too.111 views
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At around 2:30 pm, they started dancing.111 views
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Bird feeder on the left sprinkled some colorful pieces of paper as bird feed. They dance to music played by 19 musicians.111 views
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There are eight white heron dancers. The dance originated at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto about 1,000 years ago to ward off epidemics and pray for good harvests.111 views
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Musicians float. They are playing music all the while.110 views
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These guardian children lead the way. They come from Sensoji Kindergarten. 守護童子110 views
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Nitemon Gate after renovations. Fresh paint makes it bright red. 二天門110 views
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Children from the local kindergarten walk toward Kaminarimon Gate from where they will pull the white elephant.110 views
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Woman archer109 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.109 views
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There are also three warriors who never did anything. 武人109 views
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Festival music (drums and flute).108 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.108 views
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108 views
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Be sure to see my video of the White Heron Dance held on April 13, 2014.108 views
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108 views
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Yuka-chan, A.B.S.UNIDOS DO URBANA based in Nagoya at Asakusa Samba 2016.108 views
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107 views
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Maiko107 views
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107 views
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Some foreigners also carry the mikoshi.107 views
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Bird feeder and umbrella holder. 餌まき,107 views
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107 views
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In front of Sensoji temple, they held a Hana Matsuri ceremony with the kindergarten kids.107 views
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106 views
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Local high school girl proudly rides back to the starting point amid applause.106 views
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Phoenix atop the mikoshi roof.106 views
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The bird feeder then sprinkled small pieces of colored paper above the white heron dancers.106 views
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The bird feeder sprinkles more food for the birds.106 views
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Tourist posing with a dancer after the dance.106 views
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During a brief break, people gawk at the dancers. This was when I talked to one of them.105 views
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A gasp of amazement from spectators could be heard when the dancers spread their wings.105 views
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White herons are a common sight in Japan. They do like to feed on rice fields.105 views
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The white heron dancers bow before Sensoji temple before leaving.105 views
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These guardian children headed the procession. They come from Sensoji Kindergarten. 守護童子105 views
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Nitemon Gate in the east undergoing renovations. One of the few original buildings still intact. 二天門104 views
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The Battledore Fair is held at night as well.104 views
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Headband104 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade.104 views
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Toward the end of the procession is a group of musicians, 19 of them (楽人). Some of them walk while the others ride a float.104 views
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Immediately, I noticed the great shadows the dancers were casting. Proof of how good the costumes are made and how well they are posed.104 views
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The dance started with the baton twirler running around the dancers.104 views
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It looks like they are feeding.104 views
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Ama-cha sweet tea for everyone. 甘茶104 views
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So elegant.104 views
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White heron dance in front of Sensoji temple. 104 views
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Woman archer misses her target.103 views
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Battledore stalls and 5-story pagoda103 views
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What it looks like from the left side of Sensoji temple.103 views
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One funny old man took his bicycle right through the crowd. He was soon escorted out.103 views
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Float for festival music.103 views
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Once in a while, the shirasagi dancers spread their wings and do a few dance steps along the narrow Nakamise shopping arcade.103 views
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They walked to the area in front of the 5-story pagoda. 103 views
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This is what the "bird feed" was. Colored pieces of paper with the kanji characters for "good fortune" and "long life." No wonder people were rushing to pick these up. Well, I guess I'll live a long and prosperous life..103 views
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Tourists make way for the white heron dancers along Nakamise mall in Asakusa.103 views
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Passing under Hozomon Gate in front of Sensoji temple. Gotta watch their head.103 views
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Incense burner102 views
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They receive their blessings, then leave.102 views
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Mikoshi passing through Asakusa Shrine, right next to Sensoji temple.102 views
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They head toward Sensoji temple as the crowd make way for them along Nakamise.102 views
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I was told that they practice the dance only a few days before the performance. Apparently, it's not that difficult to master. It also seems that different dancers do it each time.102 views
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At the end of the dance, they bowed.102 views
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A short break after the dance.102 views
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Parallel to Sumida River, the archery course is straight and narrow, stretching from the Tobu Line bridge to Kototoi Bridge.101 views
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Hondo worship hall 本堂101 views
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The mikoshi also leave Sensoji temple and head to the Nakamise shopping arcade.101 views
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After passing through Hozomon Gate, they enter Nakamise shopping arcade.101 views
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And taiko drumming.101 views
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The mikoshi rests too.101 views
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Ladies with flower hats101 views
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Left side of Sensoji temple, in "the pit."100 views
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This is what it looks like in front of Sensoji temple.100 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade100 views
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Storehouse for the three Sanja mikoshi portable shrines.100 views
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What it looks like when you carry the mikoshi.100 views
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Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.100 views
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The shirasagi dancers then spread their wings and started to dance.100 views
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Each shirasagi dancer bowed to Sensoji (being renovated) before heading back to Nakamise.100 views
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Hanamatsuri at Sensoji temple in Asakusa.100 views
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The famous Kaminarimon lantern was replaced with a new one in Nov. 2013. This is the back.100 views
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Dead on!99 views
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Hondo worship hall side view 本堂99 views
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Meanwhile, inside Sensoji temple, worshippers who managed to squeeze through the crowds go inside the temple to pray.99 views
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"OK mom, I'll pick up the bread, milk, cereal, and natto after this festival is over."99 views
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Mikoshi for the kids too.99 views
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People are not supposed to stand on the mikoshi.99 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.99 views
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On the left, the mikoshi navigator refers to his festival map and schedule.99 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.99 views
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The eight shirasagi dancers formed two groups of four with the umbrella holder between the two groups.99 views
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Most of the dancers seemed to be high school age, although I noticed a few older women as well.99 views
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Then there was a rush of people to pick up the "bird feed" which were small colored pieces of paper. I didn't know what was going on, but I rushed in too and grabbed two of the pieces of paper.99 views
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The little Hanamatsuri parade went through Nakamise and arrived at Sensoji with the white elephant in tow.99 views
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Mikoshi also depart the left side of Sensoji temple.98 views
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