Viva Festival - Traditional Kanda Festival has close relation with Anime
Old traditional culture meets modern pop culture
On this weekend Kanda Myojin Shrine hosts Kanda Festival, one of three major festivals in Tokyo. 108 towns around the shrine participate this festival with more than 80 Mikoshi, portable shrines. These Mikoshi go through the town on top of the shoulders of people shaking Mikoshi up and down and yelling Wasshoi, Wasshoi. Then all Mikoshi arrive in Kanda Myojin one by one from the morning until evening on May 14. It is so energetic and exciting!!
Old picture of Kanda Festival
The gate of Kanda Myojin now
Mikoshi is ready to go already (this is Mikoshi of my town)
This figure of my town also perticipates
The history of Kanda Myojin shrine goes back to 8th century. While the shrine is one of the oldest in Tokyo, it has also a close relation with modern Japanese pop culture, Anime because the shrine is located near Akihabara. The popular anime named Love Live which depicts teen girls group chasing their dream to become idol singers often covers this area in their episodes. Then this shrine became the sacred place for the fun of Love Live. We can see the mixture of old traditional culture and modern pop culture here. The girls in the Anime are promoting Kanda Festival on the flag.
On the flag she is asking "Is your order Festival?"
Kanda Festival is held only once in every two years. Those who are visiting Tokyo this weekend are lucky. Don't miss it!! And yell Wasshoi, Wasshoi, all together!!
