Gojoten Jinja (五条天神社) is a shinto shrine located inside Ueno Park. It holds its annual festival in May. In 2014, it was at the same time as the Yushima Tenmangu shrine festival: I was walking away from that festival when I saw another mikoshi parade just across Chuo Dori.
Yushima Tenmangu (湯島天満宮), also known as Yushima Tenjin (湯島天神), is a shinto shrine in Bunkyo, not far from Ueno Park. It holds its annual festival in May.
Hanazono Jinja (花園神社) is a shinto shrine in Shinjuku, right next to Kabukicho. It holds its annual festival in May. As usual in Japanese festivals, there are many food and game stalls on the grounds of the shrine, while the mikoshi are paraded around the neighbourhood.
Sanja Matsuri is a festival held in Asakusa every year in May. It celebrates the three people involved in the creation of Senso-ji and later enshrined as Shinto kami in Asakusa Shrine, next to the temple. It is one of the biggest festivals in Tokyo, with about 100 mikoshi (portable shrines) paraded around the neighbourhood.
The Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center is a modern building located in front of the Kaminarimon Gate of Senso-ji, in Asakusa. The top floor has a cafe, as well as a freely accessible observatory with a great view on Senso-ji and Tokyo Skytree.
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).
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.
While I was in the Ome area, I went to see the azalea festival at Shiofune Kannon-ji Temple (塩船観音寺). The temple is surrounded by a huge azalea garden with a giant statue of Kannon watching over it.
A peony festival is currently taking place at the peony garden of the Toshogu Shrine in Ueno, until mid-May.
