While most of Tokyo’s biggest summer festivals have come and gone, that doesn’t mean the city will be quiet until autumn leaves roll around. This is, after all, Tokyo, one of the world’s most vibrant cities.
This September 6-8 weekend, there’s an interesting mix of events happening in Tokyo. Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine is hosting its annual festival and it’s a huge one. For the first time in six years, it’s pulling out all the stops by bringing out its biggest mikoshi (portable shrine) for a parade.
If you have yet to see a Bon Odori festival this year, check out the one at Sensoji Temple’s Kaminarimon gate. Or, for something more modern, the students of Tokyo University of the Arts are putting on their annual showcase, the highlight of which is a parade of creative monster floats.
Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine Festival
September 7-8
The annual Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine Festival falls on the first weekend of September. This year, the festival will return to its full glory by bringing out its biggest mikoshi for a grand parade. The last time this happened was six years ago.
While the festival is spread out over two days, the main event occurs on Sunday September 8, when around a dozen or so mikoshi are carried through the neighbourhood. The golden honsha mikoshi will leave the shrine at around 7.45am and make its way through each neighbourhood around Shimokitazawa Station before returning to the shrine for the grand finale of the group procession at 1pm.
Starting from 5pm, there will also be an array of live performances including hula dancing, belly dancing and gagaku (Japanese classical music).
Kaminarimon Bon Odori
September 7
Kaminarimon Gate at the entrance of Sensoji Temple in Asakusa is about to get livelier with a Bon Odori festival on September 7. Expect to see crowds in yukata dancing around a yagura turret decked out with paper lanterns.
The festivities will run from 6pm to 8pm, so feel free to join in. Kaminarimon Ichonomiya Street will also be lined with colourful lanterns featuring paintings of ladies in kimono on Friday and Saturday from 5pm to 8pm.
Tokyo University of the Arts Festival
September 6-8
The talented students at Tokyo University of the Arts are hosting one of the city's most awe-inspiring festivals this weekend, featuring classical concerts, monster floats, an art market and more.
Highlights include a live show on the main stage by guest rapper Dotama from 5.25pm to 6.55pm on September 7, as well as back-to-back performances by student-led bands and guest artists across seven other venues throughout the university grounds.
As for visual art, don't miss the matsuri (festival) floats, which will be on display every day at the school compound. These floats are a regular fixture at this annual festival, where students are tasked with the creative challenge of adding some contemporary flair to the traditional vessels used in ceremonial Shinto parades.
This year, the floats will also go on a procession near Takenodai Square in Ueno Park on September 6 from 10am to 2.50pm, and again at Ueno 6-chome Shopping District on September 8 from noon to 1pm. The latter will be accompanied by rousing samba music performed by the university's samba club.
For more things to do this weekend, see our curated list of events.
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