Sumo Training Stable Tour in January

We will have a special tour on January 5, Saturday, visiting a Sumo training stable in Koto-ku, Tokyo. We have room for 3 more people.

If you would like to join, send us email to koto.guide@gmail.com, with your name, gender, nationality, number of participants and your contact number. 
If we get inquiries for more than 3 people, we will handle them on first-come, first-served basis.

The tour starts at 7:45am, watch the morning training session in a sumo stable. Later, we will guide you throug to Fukagawa Edo Museum.

Experience the Traditional Japanese New Year

Kado-matsu

Want to experience the traditional new year in Japan?
Then Fukagawa Edo Museum in Koto-ku, Tokyo, is one of the best places to visit.

Celebrating new year is traditionally the most important event in a year for Japanese people. And at the museum, special exhibition started today, Decembet 26, in which you will find full of new year decorations and performances.

At the entrance of exhibition floor, the spectacular kado-matsu (literally means "gate pine") in front of the merchant house will greets you. It consists of tall bamboo trees and pine leaves, both the symbol of longevity. Smaller kado-matsu are also placed in front of other buildings.

Kagami-mochi

In the boathouses, don't miss the big luxurious Kagami-mochi, layers of round shaped rice cakes decorated with seaweeds and lobster.  In some rooms of Nagaya  (apartment houses), you will find Zouni, a typical new year's soup style meal consists of rice cakes and vegetables. Even pair of special chopsticks are arranged.

If you have a chance to visit the museum on January 2 or 3, you will be very lucky because on these days, they have Shishi-mai (lion dance) performance along with Ohayashi (festival music) performance. It is said that if the lion bites you (well, don't worry, it actually means to put your head into the lion mask's big mouth), you will have a good luck that year!
The performance time : 11am, 1pm, 3pm, January 2 and 3.


New year exhibition of Fukagawa Edo Museum: December 26 - January 14 (museum closed from December 29 to January 1)
On January 2 and 3, the first 50 visitors each will get a special new year's gift from the museum. It opens 9:30 am.

Fukagawa Edo Museum :
The mid-19th century town of Edo (old Tokyo) has been reproduced in real size. You can walk through the street, touch and feel the buildings and tools of 1840's.
Access: 3 minutes- walk from Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station, Oedo Line (Toei Subway) / Hanzomon Line (Tokyo Metro)
Address: 1-3-28 Shirakawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Admission: Adults-400yen, Children-50yen (Child or children must be accompanied by parent or guardian ) 

*photos provided by Fukagawa Edo Museum

Next tour: November 24, Saturday

Our next free volunteer-guided walking tours will be held on November 24, Saturday. Click here for  details. 

Next tour: October 27, Saturday

golden phoenix on top of Mikoshi, Tomioka Hachimangu shrine

October was once called "Kanna-zuki"（神無月）, meaning "no god month" in Japanese old calendar. It is said that in this month, gods from all over Japan go to Izumo Taisha shrine in Shimane prefecture, western Japan, for an annual gathering, so they are absent from their shrines.

Well, even if gods are absent, we still have a beautiful shrine, spectacular Mikoshi (mobile shrine), golden phoenix and lots more. Lets find out in our monthly tours. Click here for for details. 

Next tour: September 29, Saturday

Kiyosumi garden

Interested in experiencing the mysterious ritual of fire in Buddhist temple? Or feel like taking a walk in a beautiful Japanese garden to enjoy the beginning of autumn? Our next free volunteer-guided walking tours will be held on September 29, Saturday. Click here for for details. 

Once-in-3-Year Mikoshi Parade to Come This Weekend!

Two spectacular mikoshi parades will take place in the Fukagawa area in eastern Tokyo this weekend as part of a once-in-three-year big summer festival at Tomioka-Hachimangu Shrine.

Especially this year, they include the famous water throwing parade which was due last year but postponed to this summer because of the earthquake.

The festival will start on Saturday, 11th of August, when the large luxurious Mikoshi (portable shrine) from Hachimangu shrine parades through the streets. It is said that the spirit of the god rides on the Mikoshi, wishing for peace and happiness of the people. The Mikoshi is  accompanied by priests and dancing priestesses.

The water throwing parade is on Sunday, 12th of August. 54 beautiful Mikoshis from each community of Fukagawa take part in the parade. Each mikoshi is carried by dozens or even hundreds of locals with thunderous "Wasshoi" calls. The parade will start from  Hachimangu shrine at 7:30am.

People along the street pour water using buckets, hoses and even fire-extinguishing vehicles on Mikoshis and on their carriers, for purification purpose and also for refreshment in a hot, burning summer day.
If you get closer to the parade, you are sure to get soaked. Don't forget to bring plastic bag to protect your phone or camera from water.


Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine: 1-20-3 Tomioka, Koto-ku, Tokyo.
3 to 6 minutes walk from Monzen Nakacho station, on Tozai line (Tokyo Metro) or Oed Line (Toei Subway).

Sumo training stable tour on Friday

We have a special tour this Friday, 10th of August, visiting a Sumo training stable in Koto-ku, Tokyo and watching their morning training session.

The tour starts at 8:30 7:45am. If you would like to join, send us email to koto.guide@gmail.com, with your name, gender, nationality, number of participants and your contact number.
After the sumo stable, we will guide you through to Fukagawa Edo Museum.