TOKYO: Sanno Festival 2024 - Shinkosai Procession | Japan

Описание: On June 7, 2024, the Shinkosai (Shinko Festival) was held as part of the annual Sannō Festival at Hie Shrine—its first time in six years.
In this grand procession, two sacred palanquins (gohōren), one mikoshi (portable shrine), and six festival floats (dashi) were paraded through central Tokyo by approximately 500 parishioners dressed in elegant court-style attire.
The procession departed from Hie Shrine and passed through major locations including Hanzōmon, Kōjimachi Ōdōri, Nippon TV Street, Ōtsuma Street, Uchibori-dōri, the Tokyo Station area, Ginza, and Nihonbashi. Stretching approximately 300 meters, the festival parade took more than nine hours to complete its journey through the heart of the city.
The Sannō Festival is one of Tokyo’s most important traditional events, alongside the Kanda Festival of Kanda Myōjin Shrine.
Both festivals were historically known as the "Tenka Matsuri" (Festivals of the Realm) due to the rare honor of being permitted to enter Edo Castle during the Edo period. They are also counted among Japan’s three major festivals, along with Kyoto’s Gion Festival and Osaka’s Tenjin Festival.The Kanda Festival and the Sannō Festival hold the Shinko-sai alternately every other year. Both include a sacred procession in which the deities leave their shrines and travel through the city. The mikoshi and palanquins carry the divine spirits through local neighborhoods, believed to bestow protection and blessings upon the communities. The Shinko-sai is regarded as one of the most important rituals in both festivals.