An Unexpected Surprise

Friday, June 13 This morning I decided to take a quick stroll between breakfast and my first class. (Yes, I have to take classes on this trip!) I went to check out the nearby shrine, Hie-jinja, as they prepared for their annual festival. I was in luck! There was a parade or pilgrimage around the city today, and they were just starting out. According to Rough’s Guide to Japan, this festival is called Sanno Matsuri. On even-numbered years they carry fifty portable shrines on their shoulders around a portion of Tokyo, with the 400 participants dressed in historic costumes. In this post I included a few of the 200 photos I took.

I was also at the shrine when the parade of portable shrines returned. These shrines are big and heavy and the participants looked very tired. Unfortunately for them, the main shrine is at the top of a hill so they have to haul the portable ones up. But there are local on-lookers dressed up and ringing bells to cheer the carriers on, so even though they are exhausted, they try to jog up the hill with the shrine balanced on their shoulders.
That evening the festival continued. It reminded me of a carnival combined with a square dance. There was a tent set up, and tiako drums and flutes provided music. The locals, dressed in kimonos, danced to a lot of folks songs that everyone seemed to know. Everyone was having a great time, and I had a snow cone!