Photo of the month – November 2017: Autumn Festivals

Location: Kanuma city, Tochigi
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 07Oct 2017
Access:  10min. walk from Shin-Kanuma station on Tobu Nikko Line

This two days annual festival held in Kanuma city in Tochigi prefecture has over 400 years history.
The highlight of the festival is the parade from over 30 different district of Kanuma city with their gorgeous Yatai floats throughout the day.

Location: Ishioka city, Ibaraki
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: Sep 2016
Nearest station:  JR Ishioka station

Ishioka festival is the autumn festival of Hitachinokuni Soshagu Shrine and it has over 250years history. It’s held in September for three days and its one of the three great festivals in Kanto region.
The three- day festival attracts more than 400,000 visitors every year.

Location: Machida city, Tokyo
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 28Oct 2015
Access:  15min. walk from JR Machida station

Machida Jidai Festival is a quite new festival held in October at Machida city in Tokyo. it starts off with a Jidai parade by local people with dressed in authentic costumes representing Kamakura period, and characters in Japanese feudal history. After the parade, yabusame, the ancient Japanese art of horseback archery will be performed.

Location: Shinagawa, Tokyo
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 24Sep 2016
Access: 1min walk from Keikyu Kitashinagawa Station / Shimbamba Station / Aomono-yokocho Station

The annual festival held in September to celebrate the tradition and cultural heritage of Shinagawa as the first rest stop of the 53 post stations of the Tokaido which connects Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto. The festival highlight is a procession of glamorous oiran courtesans.

Location: Ohtori Shrine, Asakusa, Tokyo  
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 23Nov 2016
Access: 8min. walk from Asakusa station

Tori no Ichi Festival is a fair held at Ohtori Shrine twice or thrice on the days of Tori or rooster in November since the Edo Period.
People come to the shrine to wish good luck, happiness, and business prosperity. This fair is famous for the brightly decorated bamboo rakes called Kumade, traditionally used to sweep the fallen leaves or grains that are sold there.

Location: Asakusa, Tokyo
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 17Oct 2010
Access: 5min walk from Asakusa station

The festival began in 1958 to celebrate the reconstruction of the Main Hall (Kannondo Hall) and it’s held annually in October and March.
According to the legend, on the day of states of the Kannon Bodhisattva manifestation, a thousand of pine trees were found overnight, and it was stated that a dragon with scales of gold from the sky got into the pine forest after three days. "Kinryu no mai" which is currently dedicated as Asakusa dera Temple Mai is attributed to this legend.

Location: Kamakura, Kanagawa
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 18Sep 2010
Access:  5min. walk from Hase station

Menkake Gyoretsu is very unique festival held annually on 18th September at Kamakura Shrine with over 800 years history.
People wearing 10 types of unusual mask parade through the streets to wish the rich harvest and productiveness of grain. It is designated as important intangible cultural property.

Location: Ningyo-cho, Tokyo
Photo by Mr Tatsuo Idezawa
Photo taken: 17Oct 2011
Access: 2min. walk from Suitengu-mae station

Ningyocho in Nihonbashi district is a commercial and cultural town with many doll makers, puppeteers and craftsmen since the Edo period. Ningyo Ichi, doll fair has planned to wish for the development of Ningyocho and doll culture and it’s been held each year in October as an annual autumn event. Many merchants of doll and related items gather from every corner of the country to sell their products.