Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri (Fukagawa Festival) is a festival of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine held in mid-August every year. This festival was started in the early Edo period by the order of the Edo shogunate. Therefore, even now, it seems that there is a case where Mikoshi (portable shrine) may be carried to the Imperial Palace where Edo castle was once. Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri, which is one of the three great Edo Festival together with the Sanno Festival of Hie-jinja Shrine, Kanda Festival of Kanda-jinja Shrine. It is a festival with a history of 370 years, and main festival, festival of the main shrine, minor festival (held when there is no regular festival) is done in 3 year cycle.
This is a popular festival, there is anecdotal saying that Eitai Bridge on Sumida River had fallen unable to withstand the weight of many gathered audiences long ago. About 300 thousand people visit each year, more than 200 stall vendors line up, it can be called Tokyo’s summer tradition.
As alias “Water Festival”, this is a festival where crowds can be excited together as a result of placing clean water on Mikoshi’s carrier from the roadside. How to apply water is amazing. Some people sprinkle water with a bucket, some people discharge water from a fire hydrant, so visitors will be drenched so be careful.
Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri’s most important highlight is the portable shrines being carried through the street, but from the evening it is also a must-see as it also hosts dedicated events such as drums and martial arts performances.
This festival is held with 3-year cycle of “Hon Matsuri” (the main ceremonial festival), “Gohonsha Matsuri” (the main shrine festival), “Kage Matsuri” (the minor festival). It was “the minor festival” in 2016. The Main Festival rotating once in three years, the town portable shrine of 120, large and small, is shouldered.
As another name of “the Mizukake Water Festival”, the spectators of the roadside through the purified water on the bearer, and they really got excited together.
The shower, with a bucket and discharging water from a fire hydrant got them drenched. If your smartphone does not have waterproofing specifications, you should view this festival while being careful about water!
Though it is a scale counted by “the Edo three big festival”, there is atmosphere moderately considered as a local warm heart. It is the festival which can feel “The iki (sophistication) of Fukagawa” of the Sumida River east shore, different than “The iki (sophistication) of Edo” felt from the Sanja Matsuri Festival of Asakusa or the Kanda Matsuri Festival of Kanda Myojin.
Information
| Name: | Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri (Fukagawa Festival) |
| Adresse: | Tomioka 1-20-3 Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0047 Japan |
| Access: | Tokyo Metro Tozai-sen line "Monzen-Nakacho-eki Station” (3 minutes walk) |
| Tel: | (+81) 3-3642-1315 (Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine) |
| Price/Charge: | Free |
| Official site: | http://www.tomiokahachimangu.or.jp/ |
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