 Last additions - Asakusa Sanja Matsuri Festival 浅草三社祭 |
Drunkard on streetSep 04, 2008
|
|
Mikoshi and the infamous beer sculpture.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Sanja MatsuriSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Dressed in kimono is a Japanese buyo dance troupe from Muneyama-ryu 宗山流.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Tekomai hairstyleSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sanja Matsuri: Japanese buyo dance troupe from Muneyama-ryu (宗山流).Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Tekomai geishaSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
I caught up with the geisha procession.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
They look pretty anyway.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Japanese dance troupe from Muneyama-ryu (宗山流) based in Asakusa. Also see my video at YouTube.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Dressed in kimono is a Japanese buyo dance troupe from Muneyama-ryu 宗山流.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sanja FestivalSep 04, 2008
|
|
Behind us was also a big crowd.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Under Kaminarimon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Passing through Kaminarimon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Passing through Kaminarimon Gate. This group is from Kaminarimon.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The geisha group at Hozomon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Taking a break in front of Kaminarimon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Crowded even along Nakamise shopping arcade's back alley.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
On the left, the mikoshi navigator refers to his festival map and schedule.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Passing through Nakamise shopping arcade, heading to Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Sanja MatsuriSep 04, 2008
|
|
Dressed in kimono is a Japanese buyo dance troupe from Muneyama-ryu 宗山流.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Heading for Kaminarimon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The Sanja Matsuri also includes a small but photogenic procession of geisha. Tekomai geisha lead a small group of geisha and other characters.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Tekomai geishaSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Ladies with flower hatsSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
White Heron Dance (Shirasagi no Mai).Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
People are not supposed to stand on the mikoshi.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Japanese buyo dancer based in Asakusa.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Police watch the crowd on Kaminarimon-doriSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
What it looks like when you carry the mikoshi.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The mikoshi rests too.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Sanja MatsuriSep 04, 2008
|
|
Golden Dragon Dance (Kinryu no Mai).Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Ice cream break.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Some foreigners also carry the mikoshi.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Shrine also has a stage for various entertainment such as the Asakusa Furisode (浅草振袖) kimono entertainment troupe. They are not geisha, only dressed in kimono and traditional hairstyle.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
OK, break time is over and they pick up the mikoshi.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Taiko drummerSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Storehouse for the three Sanja mikoshi portable shrines.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Shrine torii.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Worshippers line up to pray at Asakusa Shrine.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
And taiko drumming.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Sanja MatsuriSep 04, 2008
|
|
Kaminarimon-dori road during Sanja MatsuriSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Mikoshi passing through Asakusa Shrine, right next to Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Float for festival music.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The mikoshi passes under Kaminarimon Gate, a symbol of Asakusa. The giant red lantern is collapsed upward to make room.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Festival music (drums and flute).Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Area in front of Kaminarimon GateSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
A mikoshi in front of Asakusa Shrine.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Festivals are tiring.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Heading down Nakamise shopping arcade.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Quite a few women carried the mikoshi too.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Mikoshi drummerSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Never too busy for a phone call.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Mikoshi for the kids too.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Sanja FestivalSep 04, 2008
|
|
Heading to Hozomon Gate.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
One funny old man took his bicycle right through the crowd. He was soon escorted out.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Nakamise shopping arcade.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
"OK mom, I'll pick up the bread, milk, cereal, and natto after this festival is over."Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Nakamise shopping arcadeSep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
After passing through Hozomon Gate, they enter Nakamise shopping arcade.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The mikoshi also leave Sensoji temple and head to the Nakamise shopping arcade.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
HeadbandSep 04, 2008
|
|
The same man some years before??Sep 04, 2008
|
|
A higher view.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Meanwhile, inside Sensoji temple, worshippers who managed to squeeze through the crowds go inside the temple to pray.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Mikoshi also depart the left side of Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
This is what it looks like in front of Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Left side of Sensoji temple, in "the pit."Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
What it looks like from the left side of Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
This mikoshi is heading to the front of Sensoji temple. I followed them.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
They receive their blessings, then leave.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Phoenix atop the mikoshi roof.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
This is what it looks like at the ground level in "the pit."Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Heading to the front of Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
A sea of people.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The mikoshi is brought in front of Sensoji temple one after another from all directions.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
A sea of people in front of Sensoji temple in the area I call "The Pit."Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Asakusa Sanja Matsuri in front of Sensoji temple.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
Mikoshi bearersSep 04, 2008
|
|
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Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
The mikoshi come from over 40 neighborhoods of Asakusa. 氏子各町神輿連合渡御、発進Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.)Sep 04, 2008
|
|
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.Sep 04, 2008
|
|
|
|
