event
Sagami River Koinobori Matsuri
The day before Children’s Day (May 5th), I went to Suigotana (水郷田名), in Sagamihara City (Kanagawa prefecture), to visit the Sagami River Koinobori Matsuri. Koinobori are carp-shaped wind socks traditionally used to celebrate that day. During the festival, over 1,200 koinoboris are hoisted up to blow in the wind (which fortunately was very strong that day).
Kurayami Matsuri
In May, I attended the Kurayami Matsuri (Darkness Festival) held at Okunitama Shrine in Fuchu City, Tokyo. It was one of the biggest festivals I have been to. It lasted for a few days but I only went there once. The day I attended was the day of the mantou competition (万灯大会): It is a contest between neighbourhood groups about which team can hold a decorated pole and twirl it around the longest. There were also other events involving mikoshi and children dancing to hayashi music. Unfortunately, I missed the main event, which is the carrying of mikoshi at night.
Nakizumo (Crying Baby Sumo) at Senso-ji Temple
On Saturday, I went to Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa to watch a nakizumo ceremony. During the event, babies held by sumo wrestlers face each other in a mock sumo game, two at a time. A referee shouts “Nake, Nake” (“Cry, Cry”) at them and the baby who then cries the loudest is declared the winner. If no baby cries inside of 1 minute, referees will use demon masks to try to scare the babies. The ceremony is religious and has its root in the belief that crying brings good health to the babies and scares evil spirits. It has been going on for 400 years and there are similar events (with different rules) in many places in Japan. I took a few pictures but my zoom is not very powerful. This page has more close-up shots of the event.
Wisteria Festival at Kameido Tenjin Shrine
A wisteria festival (藤まつり; fuji matsuri) is currently taking place at the Kameido Tenjin shrine (亀戸天神), in eastern Tokyo, and will last until early May. I was there a couple of days ago: Purple wisteria flowers were dangling from trellises surrounding the pond, which was crawling with turtles.
Bunkyo Azalea Festival at Nezu Shrine
The Bunkyo Azalea Festival is currently taking place at Nezu Shrine. Its garden contains more than 3,000 azalea plants.
Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) in Kawasaki
The Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り, “Festival of the Steel Phallus”), aka the Penis Festival, is a shinto festival celebrating fertility, long marriages and healthy births. It is held each spring at the Kanayama Shrine (金山神社) in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, just south of Tokyo. The penis, as the central theme of the event, is reflected in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decorations, and a mikoshi parade.
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Park is one of the most popular spots for hanami in Tokyo. During the festival, 1000 lanterns illuminate the park at night. There are also other events.
Chiyoda Cherry Blossom Festival
The Sakura front has finally reached Tokyo! The city is now covered in white from the cherry blossoms. On Saturday, I went to Yasukuni shrine and the Chidorigafuchi area (north of the imperial palace) for the Chiyoda Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Festival). Although peak bloom was supposed to start a few days later, it was already quite spectacular.
Plum Festival at Yoshino Baigo in Ome
The Yoshino Baigo Plum Festival in Ome City is taking place until the end of March. It features more than 1,000 plum trees displaying white and pink flowers, which makes it the largest plum festival in Tokyo. The closest station is Hinatawada on the Okutama line.