Sanja Matsuri

We arrived on the morning of May 21, the 2nd day of the Sanja Matsuri, one of Tokyo's three grandest festivals. Our ryokan was near Asakusa, so in the evening, we walked to the Senso-ji Temple, venue of the Sanja Matsuri and one of Tokyo's most sacred and most popular temples. On the way there, we passed by many neighbourhoods that were busy in the midst of preparing for the event. Lanterns and festive decorations were hung everywhere, people were dressed in happi, kids were having much fun playing around and sometimes on the mikoshi (portable shrines). The atmosphere was very festive and cheery.

You can see 1 big mikoshi and 2 smaller ones in the picture
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Fun before the festival
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Built in 1618, Nitenmon Gate is the oldest structure on the site of Asakusa Kannon
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Mikoshi processions. The ornate mikoshi, almost all sporting gold lacquer, are vehicles of the temple's deities and the purpose of parading them through the neighbourhood is to spread prosperity and good fortune. The bearers make the journey a rough one because the more the deity is shaken and thrown about, the more widely spread the good fortune.

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The grounds of the temple are packed with game and snack stalls during the 3-day festival.


Game stalls. I never quite figured out how many of them worked. The floating Pooh bears (bottom right) baffle me most.
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Food stalls

Agemanjyu - fried cakes with a filling of red bean paste. .

Lollies from Pooh to Pikachu
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Takoyaki
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Okonomiyaki - overstuffed crepes. 500Y each, as you can clearly see.
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The ubiquitous choco banana.
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The five-storey was built in the 1970s and is a replica of the original structure
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