Sanja Matsuri Festival, Tokyo

One of Japan’s most exciting festivals takes place every May in the shitamachi area of Asakusa, Tokyo. Each year, over 1 million people flood the streets of the old-Edo flavored neighborhood for 3 days of drinking, dancing, costumes, rallying & street food. It is one of the only events at which geisha are easily spotted, and shirtless men display enormous tattoos, openly publicizing their affiliation with the yakuza (Japanese mafia).

Aside from the wild street scene of the matsuri, the main festivities derive from tradition. The festival began over one thousand years ago, and is intended to bring good luck, prosperity, and the best blessings to those participating.

The enthusiastic party atmosphere kicks off on a Friday, the very first day of the festival; the main event is the Daigyoretsu, a parade of musicians, performers and dancers romping through the neighborhood of Asakusa. As the crowds flood, restaurants set up tables in the streets for drinking and eating. People begin to dance as floats, carrying flute players and drummers, push their way through swarms of people. Geisha make appearances, coming out to participate wearing festival attire.

On the second day, over 100 mikoshi, portable shrines are carried in from different Asakusa district neighborhoods. It takes crowds of people to carry these shrines, which are thought to hold and transport the gods. The shrines are shaken vigorously, a ritual thought to bring even more good luck and prosperity to the neighborhood from which the shrine came. It is a parade of chanting and music, crowded streets and costumes.

During the final day, the party rolls on. An early morning parade carries Asakusa’s largest portable shrines from the precincts through neighboring communities. All the while, musical floats continue along with the traditional dancing, drinking and eating. By the end of it all, most of the area's shop owners, and die-hard festival participators are exhausted. Some of them will have only slept a few hours during the weekend.

Sanja Matsuri, compared to the typical, more conservative, reserved street scenes of Tokyo, gives foreigners a glimpse at Tokyo’s wild side, and a rare chance to experience ultra vivacious Japanese religious ritual.