Dates: June 9th-16th
Place: Hie-jinja Shrine
City: Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
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This festival made famous for being granted permission by the Shogun to enter the grounds of Edo Castle during the Edo period. The Sanno Matsuri was also one of the three largest festivals of Japan. The main procession called jinkosai takes place in the middle of June in every other year according to the Western calendar. It is an incredible spectacle which sees portable shrines (mikoshi) carried through the streets enroute to Hie-jinja Shrine. The procession is followed by around 300 people dressed in ancient costumes of the imperial court. This event dramatically re-enacts scenes from days gone by. The parade begins in the heart of Tokyo’s business district and heads towards the Imperial Palace along a route that is lined with Shinto priests. This colourful event offers visitors a fascinating insight into the history and traditions of ancient Japan, including the Japanese art of flower arranging (Ikebana), you may also see people going through a large ring made of thatch, which is believed to purify the sins you have unconsciously committed in the past 6 months.
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