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Sanja Festival

15 Comments

People carry "mikoshi" (portable shrines) during Sunday's climax to the three-day Sanja Festival in Asakusa. In one of the wildest festivals in Japan, hundreds of "mikoshi" are carried in the parade, often jolted vehemently, which is believed to strengthen the power of the deities in them.

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Silly, but hey, thats culture.

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Washoi!

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recommend this for tourists and first time visitors of tokyo. Or working visa holders. After watching this spectacle. I really don't want to watch it again. It's kind of nice the first time but it's bbbbboooorning the 2nd time around. Unless they have people running around performing acrobatics moves or ninjas throwing (foam ninja) stars at the audience. Alittle modern tactics to keep it popular and interesting. I wonder does the same Japanese people come every year and why ?

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It's called a tradition and most likely the same people do it every year.

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I wonder does the same Japanese people come every year and why ?

Alcohol! Almost all of the participants - and most of the spectators - are off their heads on sake. It's all about the drinking, buddy!

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@ my2sense

I'm trying to underdstand how people can be 'silly' for continuing their traditions, at least harmless ones like this. In fact, that is probably one of the main things I like about Japan (and any other country where people keep their traditions alive). It's doubly good to see young people get involved.

By comparison, Westerners are the most shalow people of all for turning their back on their own traditions (and it really shows if you bother to look). More power to the Japanese for respecting theirs.

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Yeah, lets ban all local festivals and also ban all other activities involving local communities, etc.

Better to sit at home in front of the PC drinking some brew and not socialise with neigbours, etc. (Sarcasm off)

Granted a lot of those festivals are not much fun for outsiders but they are there for the community to get together and have fun together.

In my ara we got a ton of small local festivals, small as in one festival for a given street.

Plus, matsuri food is great. Drink is good good too. ;) And those are fun for networking with your neighbours, seeing your kids play with class-mates, etc.

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Omatsuris are fun. If you cannot take it, then I think that you are getting very old. It is so nice to see people having fun. It also has something to do with contributing towards your community, and the deity of your family. Carnivals and parades are always enjoyable.

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one of the wildest festivals in Japan,

Why stop there? Let's call it as it is: The wildest festival in Japan.

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In an old saying(?) in Japan, if you have a fool dancing and another fool watching, if they are the same fools, why not dance and have fun? The last part is not the exact translation, but I'm sure you'll understand the meaning!

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I love matsuris. Unfortunately theres just tooooooooooooooo many people that visit them. But yeah dont bann em!

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It appears foreigners do not understand the meaning of mikoshis very well. Gods inside the shrines make visits to the parishes on the portable shrines once or twice a year giving blessings and power to the parishioners. I remember similar scenes in catholic nations in europe where people carry images of Maria or Christ and parade streets.

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Carrying around mikoshi and giving a shake isn't wild. Now Danjiri festivals...those are wild!! The folks in those are nuts!! I love watching both types! Can't really beat festival atmosphere in Japan!

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Sarge, nobody in Asakusa says "washoi." Men say "oissa" or "ora" while women say "sore" or "sa"

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Omatsuri - stress relief and community building - in a fun, debatably harmless fun package. Don't like it? Don't care...Omatsuri fans LOVE it! (but I hate the crowds - best to watch from a protected elevated position - like the 2nd floor of an open air restaurant or tea shop!

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