Best 5 Traditional Festivals "Matsuri" Guide in Tokyo, June 2017 (w/Photos)
Traditional festivals held in Tokyo for June, 2017 brought to you by MagicalTrip staff. Guaranteed to experience the local atmosphere and lifestyle to its fullest! Might end up being the highlight of your Tokyo sightseeing trip.Wondering what to do? Rent kimonos and go to festivals to maximize the traditional Japanese festival experience. Besides festivals, we also cover various other must-see events in Tokyo, June 2017!
Must-see! Torigoe Night Festival in Torigoe Shrine 2017 (Torigoe Matsuri) – 10 to 11 June
source:flickr
The Torigoe Night Festival is a vibrant and magical festival held in Torigoe Shrine this June. Featuring the Torigoe Shrine Mikoshi called Sengan Mikoshi, which is the heaviest in Tokyo. On the 11th, people carry this mikoshi and are lead by children carrying five colored flags and tengu, a legendary folklore creature. In the evening, the lanterns of the city and mikoshi are lit, and as the mikoshi starts moving towards the shrine, the festival nears climax. This shrine entry is so magnificent and magical that it is refered to as the Torigoe Night Festival itself. You will be able to feel the festive love of the people who continue to live in Tokyo or better known as “Edokko”. Please note that the mikoshi can only be carried by the people who live near the shrine.
Schedule
10th to 11th June : AM6:30-PM9:00
Access & Address
9 min by walk from Kuramae Station
8 min by walk from Asakusabashi Station
- 20 min by train from Tokyo Station
Held around Torigoe Shrine, 2-4-1 Torigoe, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Price / Charge & Reservation
For free & don’t need to reserve.
Official Site
Torigoe Night Festival in Torigoe Shrine 2017 (Torigoe Matsuri) Official Site
Must-see! Tsukiji Shishi Festival 2017 – 9 to 11 June
Source: flickr
Tsukiji Shishi Festival is a festival, famous from the Edo period, held at the fresh fish market, Tsukiji in June. This festival is dedicated to the Namiyoke Inari Shrine which protected Tsukiji from waves before the ocean surrounding it was landfilled. This festival goes on for three days so if you were to choose a date, definetly go on the 11th. The symbols of the festival, Black Shishi and Mikoshi will walk through the surrounding streets such as Tsukiji Honjin and other areas outside the Tsukiji marketplace. It is also worth mentioning that, since Tsukiji is full of all the fresh fishes, you can enjoy delicious cuisine throughout the festival. Please remember to take short breaks since the festival will be quite crowded. It could also be a good idea to visit Ginza since it is within walking distance.
Schedule
9th to 11th June : AM8:30-Night
Access & Address
7 min by walk from Tsukiji Station
5 min by walk from Tsukijishijo Station
- 20 min by train from Tokyo Station
Held around 3 Jonai, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa
Price / Charge & Reservation
For free & don’t need to reserve.
Official Site
Tsukiji Shishi Festival 2017 Official Site
1. Nagoshi ritual, ‘Chinowa Kuguri’ in Tokyo Daijingu / Kanda Myojin – 30 June
Nagoshi ritual is a famous traditional Shinto ritual festival held in Japan for over 1000 years in June. This festival aims to cleanse the sins and impurities from the beginning of the year to the half year mark. Famous items used in this festival include the “Chinowa Kurugi”, an uniquely braided rope made from kaya, and “Katashiro”, a human shaped paper that acts as a substitute for the sins and impurities. In Tokyo, you can experience this festival at various famous shrines that have been watching over Tokyo / Edo such as Tokyo Daijingu and Kanda Myojin. Please note if you would like to participate in the ritual, registration is necessary so plan to go early to avoid the crowd. Also do not forget to enjoy the festival food from the various vendors around the shrine.
Schedule
30th June :
PM4:00 at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine
AM11:00 & PM3:00 at Kanda Myojin Shrine
Access & Address
5 min by walk from Iidabashi Station
- 20 min by train from Tokyo Station
Held around
Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, 2-4-1 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Kanda Myojin Shrine, 2-16-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Price / Charge & Reservation
For free & don’t need to reserve.
- Ceremony participants need to pay 1,000 yen per person. You can join the ceremony if you pay at the venue.
Official Site
Nagoshi ritual, ‘Chinowa Kuguri’ in Tokyo Daijingu Official Site
Nagoshi ritual, ‘Chinowa Kuguri’ in Kanda Myojin Official Site
2. Gujo Odori in Aoyama (Bon odori dance festival) – 23 to 24 July
source:青山外苑前商店街振興組合ホームページ
Gujo Odori is a traditonal Japanese Bon Odori festival. Gujo Odori is especially famous for many people dancing together with Japanese folk songs, flutes and drums. People dance in a circle around a building containing drummers and other performers called “Yagura”, people often go in and out for breaks. The dance is very easy to follow so just copy what other people are doing and dance along! You can even incorporate your own style since Bon Odori is very free with no strict rules. The Gujo Odori is originally a festival from Gifu prefecture but, due to the Daimyo Aoyama family having a mansion in Edo / Tokyo, it has been brought into Tokyo and continues to this day. The Gujo Odori festival has been a festival for good harvest. It is the best place to enjoy the festival atmosphere that has been alive for a long time.
Schedule
23rd to 24th June : PM5:00-PM8:30
Access & Address
15 min by walk from Sendagaya Station
5 min by walk from Gaienmae Station
10 min by walk from Aoyama-Itchome Station
- 30 min by train from Tokyo Station
Held around The car park beside Chichibu no Miya Rugby Field, 2-8-35 Kita Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Price / Charge & Reservation
For free & don’t need to reserve.
Official Site
Gujo Odori in Aoyama (Bon odori dance festival) Official Site
3. Sanno Festival 2017 – 10 to 17 June
source:flickr
Sanno Festival is part of the “Three Great Edo Festivals” alongside Kanda Festival and Fukagawa Festival. This festival in particular is known for its huge scale with over hundreds of people from ancient nobility to workers, all carrying a Mikoshi around central Toyko in a row up to 300 meters long! The Hie shrine where the Sanno festival is based is also highly ranked even visited by generals during the Edo period. Even currently, this festival is celebrated near the Imperial Palace and is dedicated to the Emperor as a representation of an Edo festival. Unfortunately, the Mikoshi carrying is only done every other year, so in 2017 it cannot be seen. However, during the festival period, Hie shrine offers traditional performances such as Kagura, dances, traditional tea ceremonies and flower arrangement for everyone to enjoy!
Schedule
10th to 17th June : AM11:00-Night
*Some variance depending on day.
Access & Address
3 min by walk from Akasaka Station
3 min by walk from Tameike-Sanno Station
5 min by walk from Kokkai-Gijidomae Station
- 15 min by train from Tokyo Station
Held around Hie Shrine, 2-10-5 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Price / Charge & Reservation
For free & don’t need to reserve.
