Fukagawa Matsuri 2024

The Fukagawa Matsuri (深川祭), held at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, is an annual festival centered around August 15th. It is considered one of the three major festivals of Edo (old Tokyo), along with the Kanda Matsuri and the Sanno Matsuri, boasting a history of approximately 380 years.

Also known as the “Fukagawa Hachimangu Festival” or “Mizu-kake Matsuri” (Water-Throwing Festival), the major festival is held around August 15th each year. In years when the Mikoshi (portable shrine) of Hachimangu Shrine makes a special procession, known as the “Hon Matsuri,” it occurs once every three years. During the Hon Matsuri, representatives from various neighborhoods joyously carry their respective mikoshi, shouting “wasshoi,” in a spectacular parade.

The popularity of the festival is evident in its historical impact, such as the collapse of the Eitai Bridge in the Edo period (1807) when a large crowd rushed onto the bridge to witness the procession. The festival is also known as the “Mizu-kake Matsuri” due to the tradition of throwing water, providing relief from the summer heat. Anyone can participate in the water-throwing activity.

With its origins rooted in a festival ordered by the Edo Shogunate, the Fukagawa Matsuri has a strong connection to the Imperial Palace, and during certain years associated with the Emperor or the Shogunate, the mikoshi procession may extend to the vicinity of the Imperial Palace.

 

 

 

 

Outline of the event

Place: Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine

Date: August 11 to 15, 2024

Official Web：Click Here