What to do and see in Taito, Kanto: The Best Cultural Events

May 21, 2021 Marlin Saiz

Discover the best top things to do in Taito, Japan including Sanja Matsuri, Kokufu Bonsai-Ten, Asakusa Tori no Ichi, Iriya Asagao Matsuri, Hozuki Ichi, Asakusa Toshi no Ichi, Asakusa Samba Carnival, Torikoe Matsuri, Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri.
Restaurants in Taito

1. Sanja Matsuri

2-3-1 Asakusa Shrine, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture http://www.asakusajinja.jp/sanjamatsuri/
Excellent
61%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 71 reviews

Sanja Matsuri

Sanja Matsuri is one of Tokyo's three great summer festivals. It takes place late in May and celebrates the founding of Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. The festival has been running for over 700 years and today draws about two million visitors to the neighbourhood over the course of three days of processions and dances leading up to a parade of three enormous Mikoshi (portable shrines) carried precariously on the shoulders of locals. The shrines are ornate with black lacquer and gold leaf and elaborate purple and vermilion ropes, and weigh about 1 ton each. There's an incredibly charged atmosphere as the people carrying them shout in rhythm and bounce and jostle the shrines to wake up the spirits inside and encourage them to spread luck and prosperity throughout the surrounding neighbourhoods. The mood of celebration and street party atmosphere is packed with the sights and sounds of formal processions with ancient costumes and traditional music, geisha and taiko performances, yakuza gangsters showing off their tattoos, all mixed with the aroma of hundreds of impromptu food stands in the streets.

2. Kokufu Bonsai-Ten

8-36 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Uenokoen, Taito 110-0007 Tokyo Prefecture +81 3-3821-3059 http://www.bonsai-kyokai.or.jp/kokuhuten.htm
Excellent
51%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 35 reviews

Kokufu Bonsai-Ten

First held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in 1934 with the aim of improving bonsai art and developing traditional Japanese culture, the "Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition" has a history of more than 80 years. On display at the venue are the prized creations of selected bonsai enthusiasts. And after rigorous examination of such factors as beauty and condition, the most outstanding works are presented with the Kokufu Award. The oldest and the largest bonsai exhibition in Japan, it is widely known at home and abroad as the place to see the best bonsai in the world.

3. Asakusa Tori no Ichi

3-19-6 Senzoku Chokokuji Temple, Taito Tokyo Prefecture http://www.torinoichi.jp/index.htm
Excellent
41%
Good
51%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 37 reviews

Asakusa Tori no Ichi

Since its founding in 1630, Chokokuji temple has been holding the Tori no Ichi outdoor market. It has been nicknamed "Asakusa Tori Temple" since the Edo Period. The temple's Asakusa Tori no Ichi market has stalls selling decorative bamboo rakes (called "kumade") in a wide variety of sizes and designs. When a large rake is sold, the seller gives the customer a loud cheer for family safety and business prosperity and claps his hands. Right next to Chokokuji temple is Otori Shrine. Worshippers can thereby pray to both the Buddhist Otorisama deity at Chokokuji and the Shinto Otorisama deity at Otori Shrine. The stalls line the Kokusai-dori road from Minowabashi Station in a lively atmosphere.

4. Iriya Asagao Matsuri

Iriya, Taito Tokyo Prefecture +81 3-3841-1800 http://www.asagao-maturi.com/
Excellent
35%
Good
46%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 52 reviews

Iriya Asagao Matsuri

Held annually for three days on July 6th-8th around the Tanabata Festival, the Iriya Asagao Matsuri is a Shitamachi summer event. Over 100 vendors display about 120,000 morning glory plants at Iriya Kishimojin (Shingenji temple) and along the adjacent Kototoi-dori road. The temple is known for Iriya's Kishimojin goddess. Iriya's morning glory market was popular in the Edo Period, but was discontinued until it was revived in 1948. It hails the coming of summer and retains a lot of the Edo flavor.

5. Hozuki Ichi

2-3-1 Sensoji Temple, Asakusa, Taito Tokyo Prefecture +81 3-3842-0181 http://www.senso-ji.jp/annual_event/13.html
Excellent
26%
Good
52%
Satisfactory
22%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 23 reviews

Hozuki Ichi

Since the Muromachi Period, it is believed that when you worship Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) on the 10th of every month, you will receive 100 or 1,000 days worth of blessings. Especially if you worship on July 10th, you supposed to receive 1,000 days worth of blessings. This day was therefore called "1,000-Day Worship." However, at Sensoji temple, it was called "46,000-day worship" since the mid-Edo Period. The Hozuki Ichi Ground Cherry Fair originally started at Atago Shrine in Shiba on the shrine's festival day. A similar fair later also started at Sensoji temple. Sensoji's Hozuki Ichi eventually got bigger than Atago Shrine's. From July 9th, some 120 stalls are set up within the Sensoji temple grounds to display colorful ground cherry plants.

6. Asakusa Toshi no Ichi

2-3-1 Sensoji Temple, Asakusa, Taito Tokyo Prefecture +81 3-3842-0181 http://www.asakusa-toshinoichi.com/
Excellent
9%
Good
78%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 23 reviews

Asakusa Toshi no Ichi

Asakusa Toshi no Ichi is held on December 18th, a special festival day for Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. It is known as the Hagoita Ichi (Battledore Fair) where they sell and display gorgeous Kabuki-themed battledores. During the Edo Period, it was a large market selling mainly New Year's goods and auspicious items at the temple. Eventually, the battledores became the most prominent as they are today. When a customer buys a battledore, the seller claps three times and cheers for the customer's good luck. It is a year-end tradition and scene from the Edo Period.

7. Asakusa Samba Carnival

Taito Tokyo Prefecture http://www.asakusa-samba.org/
Excellent
27%
Good
65%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 26 reviews

Asakusa Samba Carnival

Held annually on the last Saturday of August, Asakusa Samba Carnival is Japan's biggest samba carnival contest. The samba dance teams have their own impressive routines and gorgeous costumes comparable to the Rio Carnival in Brazil. Competing samba teams are categorized in different leagues depending on their size. The top S1 League has teams with 150 or more members. They also have large floats called "Alegorias." About 500,000 spectators jam the samba parade route from Basha-dori street to Kaminarimon-dori road.

8. Torikoe Matsuri

2-4-1 Torigoe Torikoe Shrine, Taito Tokyo Prefecture +81 3-3851-5033 http://taitonavi.jp/index.html?no=227
Excellent
19%
Good
62%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 21 reviews

Torikoe Matsuri

Held annually in mid-June, Torikoe Matsuri is the main festival of Torikoe Shrine that has a history of over 1,300 years. The festival highlight is the Sengan portable shrine, said to be the largest portable shrine in Tokyo. With lively cheers and many people, the festival is quite a spectacle. In the evening, the portable shrine festooned with paper lanterns entering the shrine led by tall pole lanterns is an impressive sight.

9. Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri

Kappabashi Main Street, Taito Tokyo Prefecture http://shitamachi-tanabata.com/
Excellent
25%
Good
70%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 20 reviews

Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri

Every summer, the Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri is held along Kappabashi Hon-dori street stretching for about 1.2 Km between the west side of Asakusa Rokku to Showa-dori street alongside Ueno Station. The street is decorated with colorful Tanabata decorations and streamers handmade by the street's shop owners and Taito Ward's social workers. Amid the Tanabata decorations are food stalls and events such as a parade, dances, and street performances. In the evening, the decorations are lit up. The shimmering decorations with the illuminated Tokyo Skytree in the background create a fantastic scene.

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