The Kanda Matsuri Miyairi: Festival Shrines Gather in Tokyo

The Kanda Matsuri, one of the most famous festivals in Tokyo, originated in the Edo period (1603–1868). The main festival is held every second year. The festival procession, including three portable shrines called hōren and decorative floats called tsuke-matsuri, parades around 108 neighborhoods in Kanda, Akihabara, and other east Tokyo areas. The highlight of this festival is the Miyairi, when 200 portable shrines and shrine parishioners wearing traditional festival garb gather together in front of Kanda Shrine. It will take place on Sunday, May 12, 2019.

(Originally published in Japanese. Created in cooperation with the Kajichō Itchōme community group.)