Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri and the Emperor!!

Rene and I rode to a Geocacher Meeting point (to give back a cache I have been holding for six months). The thing that pushed me to come out to the meeting with Rene (what does he care about meeting Tokyo Geocachers, eh?) is that there is a HUGE (as in 30,000 participants and over 500,000 spectators huge) festival that only occurs once every three years and is one of the three main Omatsuri in Tokyo. 

And we got to see the emperor and empress!!! About 70meters away. And the people! Holy .... No words. Just Wow! Talk about the most crowded experience I have ever had. It was so cool because Rene and I are very tall and we had clear views all the way! It was great. 

Here is the info on the Festival:

Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri

The Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri is held annually in mid-August by the Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in Koto Ward, Tokyo. Tomioka Hachimangu, also known as Tomioka Yawata shrine, is Fukagawa's greatest shinto shrine, and was established in 1627. The festival, is believed to date back to 1642, and is one of the three greatest festivals of Edo, together with Sanno Matsuri of Akasaka Hie Jinja Shrine and Kanda Matsuri of Kanda Myojin Shrine.

The Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri is a wet and wild festival, and has been nicknamed the   -  mizu-kake matsuri  -   or water-throwing festival. The three-day festival will have several large portable shrines on display. The festival ends on the last day with an all-day parading of 54 portable shrines called mikoshi. The portable shrines carry a part of the main shrine's deity or kami. Every three years (1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 etc.), the full-scale version of the festival, known as Hon-matsuri, is held during five days. During this big event, there is held a large parade, where the mikoshi (portable shrine) bearers are hosed down with water throughout the six kilometer parade route, by the onlookers.

Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri is literally the festival of the Hachiman god in Fukagawa, who is the deity of warriors. The Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri festival is characterized by the traditional chant of   -  wasshoi! wasshoi!  -  , which is taken up by the mikoshi bearers as they run through the streets. The festival will have entertainment and numerous temporary stalls selling food, drinks and trinkets. There will also be several large portable shrines on display.

A large number of events take place during the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri, such as -

Japanese drum performances;
Karate performances;
Jazz performances;
Shorinji Kempo performances;
Dance performances;
Kendo (Japanese fencing) tournaments;
Aoi Daiko drum performances; and
Indonesia, Balinese gamelan performances.

The Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri is most often held on the main avenue   -  Eitai Dori  -   (Tokyo's road leading from the Imperial Palace eastwards to Chiba prefecture). The venue of the festival is either a 3-minute walk from Monzen-nakacho Sta. on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, a 6-minute walk from Monzen-nakacho Sta. on the Toei subway Oedo Line., or a 15-minute walk from Ecchujima Sta. on the JR Line.

the festivities of the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri include around 30,000 participants, and attract over half a million spectators. Everyone is welcome to join the crowds, and participate in throwing water on the bearers. If you are in Japan during mid-august, do come and be a part of this celebration, and take in the essence of the Japanese fervor of celebration.