Impressions of the Sanja Marsuri, Tokyo, Japan May 2023
During Sanja Matsuri, one the 'wildest' Shinto festivals of Japan, Mikoshis, portable Shinto shrines, are carried through the streets around the Asakusa Temple in Tokyo. The routes end on the grounds of the Temple, where the shrines are blessed before being carried back to their respective quarters.
Every quarter has its own portable shrine that is carried around by groups of strong men and women(!) wearing colourful clothing. Small shrines for children are carried around by the young ones.
Even during the rainy days when I participated in the street festival in May 2023 it was great fun for the carriers, the spectators and the photographer.
(For a full description of the festival see Wikipedia entries 'Sanja Matsuri' and 'Mikoshi').
Omikoshi - a sacred, portable, Shinto shrine, ready to be carried around during Sanja Matsuri (Asakusa, Tokyo)
Preparing the Mikoshi to make it the nicest of all.
Preparing the Mikoshi
Detail of a golden Mikoshi that has the form of a Shinto shrine.
Many strong men and women(!) are needed to carry the Mikoshi around
Carrying the heavy Mikoshi is fun! The 'wilder' the waggling, the more fun.
One of the many waggling Mikoshi's 'on the road'.
The different routes passes the smallest streets and malls, that are then (0ver) crowded with thousands of people.
Female carriers in a mixed team having fun.
The colour of the clothing identifies the local quarter the Mikoshi belongs to.
The Mikoshi is heavy and he carrying goes quite wild.
Normally tattoo's are taboo in Japan. Only during Sanja Matsuri Yakuza members are allowed to carry the Mikoshi and show their tattoo's.
The tattoos on the legs of the man in the middle identifies him as a Yakuza-member.
Assistants of the carriers are responsible for the balance when the carriers waggle too wild.
Mixt carrier groups
Small Mikoshi's are carried by children, supported and protected by their parents.
Children's Mikoshi on the temple ground.
A 'director' armed with clacking wooden blocks helps the carriers to park the Mikoshi on the stands on the temple ground.
The temple grounds are full of Mikoshi's and thousands of happy people.
After the carriers placed their Mikoshi safe on it place on the temple ground, it it 'time for a little something'.
