Speaking of this year events, of cause it’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics,
right? But there is another important event in our area. That is Fukagawa
Hachiman Shrine Festival ! On the festival day, a parade of carrying lots of
mikoshis, portable shirines, is conducted. As it is held in midsummer, it’s
also called the watering festival where both the carriers of mikoshis and
the audience get soaked and enjoy the festival.
This festival has traditionally been one of the three largest festivals in
Edo, today’s Tokyo, since Edo period, which is samurai period. Still today
it is one of the largest and most popular festivals in Tokyo. There remains
a phrase feathering each of the three festivals, which is that Fukagawa is
the portable shrine, Kanda is the float and Sanno is the large area
belonging to it. So our festival has been featuring mikoshi since samurai
period.
Originally this festival was begun to pray for the great growth of the
fourth Shogun, the actual ruler of Japan, in 1642. This area was developed
as new frontier and transportation center of Edo. So lots of common people
and rich business people came to live there and this festival gradually
became popular in Edo city. Around the early 18th century, one of the
richest merchants in Edo dedicated three large portable shrines to Fukagawa
Hachiman Shrine. Since then, more and more people in Edo gathered to
Fukagawa area to watch the large shirnes carried at the festival. The
feature that Fukagawa is mikoshi, portable shrine, was decided.
Unfortunately, the three portable shrines disappeared in the large
earthquake in 1923.
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Three large portable shrines dedicated by a rich merchant
(Source: Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine Bulletin） |
After that, the fesitvals, which was conducted every several years, became
more and more popular in Edo City. The following incident shows how popular
the festival was. At 1807 when the festival was conducted for the first time
in 12 years, a crowd of people gathered Eitai Bridge at Fukagawa area to
watch the large mikoshi parade. But the bridge could not withstand the
weight of people gathering and at last it collapsed. Lots of people on the
bridge was killed in the accident. It is said estimated 1,500～3,000 people
lost their lives and became the worst bridge collapse accident. We are able
to find how large the enthusiasm for the festival was at that time by the
incident.
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Eitai Bridge collasped in 1821
(Source: Edo-Tokyo Museum) |
Also, after that, popularity of the festival lasts still today. 200,000～
300,000 people including the carriers and the audience is said to gather at
the festival today.
Of cause still today, a parade of mikoshi crosses Eitai Bridge at the
festival. When crossing the bridge, carriers of portable shrines keep
lifting them with their hands all together. This scene is one of the
highlights of the festival. This style is also said to show the repose of
the souls of the bridge collapse victims. I think this shows we are all with
them and never forget them forever. So this scene is my favorite of the
festival.
Thinking those, I’m looking forward to participating in the festival from
now. I hope this traditional festival will not be postponed next year due to
COVID-19. Please come to our area and let’s enjoy the festival this summer
when it is decided to be conducted this year!
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Fukagawa Watering Festival
(Source: photo-ac com) |
