Two Beautiful Portable Shrines Made Processions Through Streets
Hachiman Shrine in Mitaka celebrated the autumnal great festival on Saturday, September 8, and Sunday, 9 with lots of people carrying the portable shrines over their shoulders and some beating the gigantic "taiko." They went around Shimorenjaku towns between the shrine and Mitaka station.
The line led by the two lion masks with a huge taiko and fetival music followed.
The main part is two portable shrines carried by a couple dozens of men and women. The shrines are so beautiful and it is said that one of them has a phoenix with a diamond eye on top of the roof.
There were many people looking at the line from the deck in front of the station. Some of them are from overseas Along the street I found a young couple from Italy looking at the taiko and the portable shrines with much curiosity. We spent some time talking with them about cultural events in Italy and Japan before the shrine stood up to move after the rest.
Posted by Shige
The 23rd Mitaka International Exchange Festival is going to be held at Inokashira West Park on Sunday, September 23, 2012. Those who see this blog and may stay in Tokyo area on that day can't miss it. It starts from 10 AM and lasts until 3:30 PM. If you haven't had a chance to visit Ghibli Museum, you can cover two purposes at a time.
At the Exchange Festival you can enjoy many unique cultural and art events from all over the world including international food which is most popular among visitors. The following phots are from the 21st Festival in 2010.
