Tokyo and the Sanja

Looking down on Saturday’s Mikoshi

The Sanja Matsuri in Tokyo’s Asakusa is the big one, one of the famous Matsuri’s of Japan. Naomichan and I followed her friend Rie through the crowds and back alleys to vantage point of a restaurant overlooking the throngs below. This was the Saturday, the day when all the mikoshi from neighbouring communities are welcome in with their shines, more than 50 in all.

But Sunday was the main event. There are only three Mikoshi on this day representing the three resident deities of Asakusa Shrine. Its a scrum, madness and not for the light-hearted. To touch that shrine is an honour most people can only dream of.

Sanja Matsuri, Sunday ‘Ichinomiya Mikoshi’

Behind my back some of Naomi’s friends were talking about me. They donned me in a Matsuri Hanten (coat) and before I new it we were running and jumping small fences to catch up to the Mikoshi. They wanted me to get in there! My new Japanese buddies are yelling at their friends and their friends to give me a chance to get in there. No one will relinquish their position fighting for the right to carry the Mikoshi when someone tires, but somehow I, against the wave found myself to have sufficiently battered through to the position of Hanabo, or head of the Mikoshi. Basically I was in the drivers seat.

Even now, I probably have a 1/10th understanding of what that really meant to be there for those few minutes before the weight of the shine and the crush of incoming bodies forced me out. But everyone who has heard about that answers me with a wide eyed ‘Honto?’ really??

Mikoshi coming into Asakusa Jinja

The full power of what these 3 shrines means can be witnessed as they complete their route at the end of the longest day and head into Asakusa Jinja, bells ringing, voices chanting out the steps and the euphoria, the Mikoshi rocking violently on shoulders. Upon the entry of one a rival team took exception with another and a brawl kicked of in front of the few thousand spectators, before being chased out and down the street. This festival had soul!

Monja!

We headed off with our friends to a Monja restaurant. ‘A what?’ I said. Monja, a famous local food here is an interesting concept. You kinda take the veg, noodle and meat ingredients in a bowl, and swirl out the paste onto the hot-plate in front of you, looking a little like a pancake, a little like puke. Then after its halfish cooked you can take your tiny metal spatula and scrape out a little morsel for yourself. With all of us sitting around eating Monja it doesn’t take long for one to disappear. Whilst Monja won’t make my top 5 list of favourite Japanese dishes, it was fun fun fun.

Bali An, themed room

Naomi and I slipped out a little time after. We were celebrating our 1 year. We were a little above going to a cheap love hotel to celebrate our occasion. Love hotels, for those who don’t know, are the gaudy and garish hotels (you know em when you see em) all over Japan where you can book in for an hour or the whole night, and where you can choose the room to fit your fantasy. We instead went to a more fashionable ‘themed’ hotel, where we slipped away to Bali for a night The sound of waves, digital constellations, outdoor hottubs, hibiscus flowers and the scents of Bali, and of course a giant 4 post bed.

Lastly, big thanks to Rie for putting us up at her place and moving out for us!

Hi to Hiori and family! Lets play games!

and for more photos see photolog > Japan > Tokyo

This entry was posted on Friday, June 22nd, 2007 at 3:41 am and is filed under Japan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.