Most viewed - Asakusa Sanja Boat Procession 浅草三社祭斎行700年祭 舟渡御 |
To mark the 700th anniversary of Asakusa Sanja Matsuri Festival in 2012, a boat procession was held on Sumida River on March 18, 2012. The last time they did this was in 1958. 284 views
|
|
New building for Asakusa Tourist Information Center.215 views
|
|
The last time they did this was in 1958. The original Sanja Matsuri was actually a boat procession on Sumida River held in March 1312 (Kamakura Period).176 views
|
|
White Heron Dancers on a boat.176 views
|
|
168 views
|
|
To mark the 700th anniversary of Asakusa Sanja Matsuri Festival in 2012, a boat procession was held on Sumida River on March 18, 2012. 166 views
|
|
Gods of Good Fortune on a boat.166 views
|
|
Boat carrying Golden Dragon. They didn't dance on the boat.164 views
|
|
Boat carrying gods of good fortune and White Heron Dancers.164 views
|
|
Flat barge with the three mikoshi cruising on the Sumida River. It has been 54 years since the last time this boat procession was held in 1958.160 views
|
|
154 views
|
|
Large crowd wait for the mikoshi to be carried back to Asakusa Shrine via Nakamise arcade at 6 pm.138 views
|
|
Sannomiya97 views
|
|
This boat carried the White Heron Dancers too.77 views
|
|
The bird feeder.74 views
|
|
And the mikoshi are off on its first boat procession in 54 years. 74 views
|
|
The three portable shrines were first carried from Asakusa Shrine to neighboring Sensoji temple on March 17 where it stayed overnight. On the 18th, they were carried outside and a procession around Asakusa was held. 73 views
|
|
Ninomiya mikoshi72 views
|
|
Ninomiya70 views
|
|
68 views
|
|
65 views
|
|
Paper lantern out of the way at Hozomon Gate. 宝蔵門64 views
|
|
The third portable shrine is moved into position at Hozomon Gate (宝蔵門) for the procession to start at 10:10 am.64 views
|
|
64 views
|
|
Musicians at Kaminarimon Gate.64 views
|
|
Ichinomiya mikoshi in front of Kaminarimon Gate.64 views
|
|
Making room for the third portable shrine.63 views
|
|
Golden Dragon makes its way down Nakamise arcade.63 views
|
|
Asakusa geisha63 views
|
|
Sensoji's Golden Dragon standing by.63 views
|
|
The procession on land went completely around Asakusa from 10:10 am to 12:30 pm.63 views
|
|
The procession was led by the White Heron Dancers (Shirasagi-no-Mai).62 views
|
|
I went to see the procession on March 18, 2012. Golden Dragon standing by to join the procession.61 views
|
|
The Golden Dragon takes after the "Golden Dragon Mountain" mountain name of Sensoji temple. 金龍山61 views
|
|
Chigo children standing by in front of Hozomon Gate. 宝蔵門61 views
|
|
Kiyari workmen singers.61 views
|
|
White Heron Dancers. 61 views
|
|
61 views
|
|
61 views
|
|
61 views
|
|
Boats reach Komagata Bridge, the end of the boat procession.61 views
|
|
All three mikoshi (portable shrines) ready to go at Hozomon Gate. 宝蔵門60 views
|
|
Sarutahiko-no-Okami60 views
|
|
Year 628: Two fishermen brothers find a golden Kannon buddha statue in Sumida River. The two fishermen were Hinokuma no Hamanari and Takenari. A wealthy landowner named Hajinomatsuchi heard about the statue and told the brothers about its religious value.60 views
|
|
Sannomiya mikoshi60 views
|
|
Police60 views
|
|
After the mikoshi arrived back from the cruise, they held a service at this small worship hall called the Komagata-do. This marks the spot where the original Kannon statue was first worshipped before it was moved to Sensoji.60 views
|
|
In front of Sensoji temple at Hozomon Gate, two portable shrines stand by.59 views
|
|
Asakusa Shrine priest.59 views
|
|
Sannomiya mikoshi. "Three Shrines," dedicated to the two fishermen brothers who found the Kannon buddha statue in Sumida River which became the object of worship that founded Sensoji Temple.59 views
|
|
This is the baton twirler (bo-furi 棒ふり) in orange pants followed by the bird feeder.59 views
|
|
59 views
|
|
59 views
|
|
59 views
|
|
Tekomai geisha weren't in sync.59 views
|
|
59 views
|
|
Ichinomiya portable shrine arrives and carefully makes it way down the narrow stairway.59 views
|
|
59 views
|
|
59 views
|
|
Festival musicians on a cart at Hozomon Gate. 宝蔵門58 views
|
|
Asakusa geisha on a cart.58 views
|
|
Asakusa geisha58 views
|
|
Sanja banners.58 views
|
|
Festival musicians58 views
|
|
Ninomiya mikoshi or portable shrine No. 2.58 views
|
|
Sannomiya or No. 3 mikoshi. The third mikoshi is dedicated to the wealthy landowner who converted the fishermen brothers to Buddhism and helped to establish Sensoji.58 views
|
|
The bird feeder.58 views
|
|
White Heron Dancers. They didn't dance during the procession.58 views
|
|
58 views
|
|
58 views
|
|
This boat carried Asakusa geisha.58 views
|
|
Guide boat. They sailed to Ryogoku and back.58 views
|
|
Yakata-bune boat58 views
|
|
58 views
|
|
57 views
|
|
57 views
|
|
Musicians57 views
|
|
57 views
|
|
Samurai57 views
|
|
Sarutahiko's footwear.57 views
|
|
Ichinomiya portable shrine, followed by the two other mikoshi.57 views
|
|
A large crowd turned out to see this rare event in Asakusa. Sacred boat processions are not unusual in Japan though. Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka is a large boat procession.57 views
|
|
Carrying Ichinomiya to the boat.57 views
|
|
Large crowds lined the Sumida River banks.57 views
|
|
They cruised all the way to Ryogoku Bridge.57 views
|
|
Geisha boat.57 views
|
|
Spectator boats.57 views
|
|
57 views
|
|
Where the mikoshi go, the crowds follow.57 views
|
|
Inside Komagata-do.57 views
|
|
The three mikoshi were then carried to Kaminarimon Gate in Asakusa at 5:40 pm.57 views
|
|
57 views
|
|
Ichinomiya mikoshi or portable shrine No. 1. The biggest of the three.56 views
|
|
56 views
|
|
56 views
|
|
Sarutahiko56 views
|
|
56 views
|
|
Another samurai.56 views
|
|
The dock on Sumida River where the portable shrines will be loaded onto a boat.56 views
|
|
Patrol boats stand by. There was a lot of security on the river for this procession.56 views
|
|
Barge docking at Higashi Sando Sanbashi Pier. 東参道桟橋56 views
|
|
Carrying Ichinomiya to the boat.56 views
|
|
This escort boat carried the gods of good fortune.56 views
|
|
This boat carried the Sensoji temple priest and Asakusa Shrine priest. Nice to see Buddhists and Shintoists together.56 views
|
|
First they headed north to Sakura-bashi Bridge, then went south all the way to Ryogoku.56 views
|
|
Tobu train line and Tokyo Sky Tree.56 views
|
|
Waiting on Komagata Bridge where the three mikoshi would return from the river.56 views
|
|
Police boat56 views
|
|
Going under Komagata Bridge.56 views
|
|
Intersection near Komagata Bridge.56 views
|
|
55 views
|
|
Sensoji temple priest and Asakusa Shrine priest on a boat.55 views
|
|
55 views
|
|
To reenact the boat procession, they had to work with very few records of the last time it was held in 1958. Only a few photos remained. In 1958, each mikoshi was carried by a separate boat.55 views
|
|
Where the mikoshi went, the crowd followed. They headed for Komagata Bridge where the boats would return.55 views
|
|
Carts for the three mikoshi on Komagata Bridge, not far from Asakusa.55 views
|
|
The mikoshi barge docks near Komagata Bridge.55 views
|
|
The mikoshi are carried back.55 views
|
|
The mikoshi is placed in front of Komagata-do, a small temple for a Buddhist prayer ceremony.55 views
|
|
Tekomai geisha dragged a metal cane.54 views
|
|
Tokyo Sky Tree is clearly visible from Asakusa.54 views
|
|
A flattop barge arrives, decorated for the festival.54 views
|
|
A tugboat hauls a flat barge to the dock.54 views
|
|
54 views
|
|
The barge carrying the three portable shrines were to have a few escort boats.54 views
|
|
Departing the dock with this tug pushing and another pulling.54 views
|
|
On the street in front of Komagata-do.54 views
|
|
Priests on the lead boat.53 views
|
|
52 views
|
|
Chigo children52 views
|
|
52 views
|
|
|
|