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Most viewed - Asakusa Sanja Matsuri Festival 浅草三社祭
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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.395 views
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Sanja Festival378 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.)329 views
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Tekomai geisha301 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri299 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri280 views
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Sanja Matsuri: Not sure if this is a geisha group or a kabuki group.278 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri in front of Sensoji temple.251 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.249 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.241 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri239 views
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Golden Dragon Dance (Kinryu no Mai).223 views
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White Heron Dance (Shirasagi no Mai).212 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.211 views
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Never too busy for a phone call.207 views
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Asakusa Sanja Matsuri170 views
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Taiko drummer167 views
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A higher view.166 views
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The same man some years before??162 views
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Mikoshi drummer156 views
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Festivals are tiring.155 views
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Mikoshi and the infamous beer sculpture.153 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.149 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144 views
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A sea of people in front of Sensoji temple in the area I call "The Pit."144 views
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Kaminarimon-dori road during Sanja Matsuri143 views
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A mikoshi in front of Asakusa Shrine.138 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 2012.137 views
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The mikoshi is brought in front of Sensoji temple one after another from all directions.130 views
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Mikoshi bearers125 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.123 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122 views
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Drunkard on street121 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.119 views
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Asakusa Shrine also has a stage for various entertainment such as an Asakusa geisha dance.117 views
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This is what it looks like at the ground level in "the pit."112 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.112 views
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Asakusa Sanja Festival111 views
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This mikoshi is heading to the front of Sensoji temple. I followed them.107 views
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Quite a few women carried the mikoshi too.107 views
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Tekomai hairstyle107 views
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Also see my video at YouTube.105 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.104 views
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Heading to the front of Sensoji temple.103 views
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A sea of people.102 views
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Festival music (drums and flute).102 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.101 views
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Some foreigners also carry the mikoshi.100 views
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Phoenix atop the mikoshi roof.99 views
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Headband98 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade.98 views
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They receive their blessings, then leave.97 views
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What it looks like from the left side of Sensoji temple.97 views
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One funny old man took his bicycle right through the crowd. He was soon escorted out.97 views
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Mikoshi passing through Asakusa Shrine, right next to Sensoji temple.97 views
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The mikoshi rests too.97 views
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Float for festival music.96 views
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And taiko drumming.96 views
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Ladies with flower hats96 views
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Left side of Sensoji temple, in "the pit."95 views
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After passing through Hozomon Gate, they enter Nakamise shopping arcade.95 views
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People are not supposed to stand on the mikoshi.95 views
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This is what it looks like in front of Sensoji temple.94 views
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Mikoshi also depart the left side of Sensoji temple.94 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade94 views
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"OK mom, I'll pick up the bread, milk, cereal, and natto after this festival is over."94 views
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Mikoshi for the kids too.94 views
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Storehouse for the three Sanja mikoshi portable shrines.94 views
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OK, break time is over and they pick up the mikoshi.94 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.93 views
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Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.93 views
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On the left, the mikoshi navigator refers to his festival map and schedule.93 views
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Meanwhile, inside Sensoji temple, worshippers who managed to squeeze through the crowds go inside the temple to pray.92 views
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Heading down Nakamise shopping arcade.92 views
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Worshippers line up to pray at Asakusa Shrine.92 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.92 views
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They look pretty anyway.92 views
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The mikoshi also leave Sensoji temple and head to the Nakamise shopping arcade.91 views
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Asakusa Shrine torii.91 views
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What it looks like when you carry the mikoshi.91 views
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Police watch the crowd on Kaminarimon-dori91 views
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Tekomai geisha91 views
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Geisha90 views
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Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.90 views
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Heading to Hozomon Gate.89 views
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Ice cream break.88 views
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Passing through Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.88 views
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Crowded even along Nakamise shopping arcade's back alley.88 views
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Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.88 views
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Behind us was also a big crowd.88 views
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Area in front of Kaminarimon Gate87 views
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The geisha group at Hozomon Gate.87 views
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Passing through Kaminarimon Gate.87 views
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I caught up with the geisha procession.87 views
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Under Kaminarimon Gate.86 views
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Passing through Kaminarimon Gate. This group is from Kaminarimon.85 views
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Taking a break in front of Kaminarimon Gate.83 views
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