Tokyo · Taitō, Tokyo
Sanja Matsuri
三社祭
Asakusa Shrine's rite: a hundred neighbourhood palanquins shaking Asakusa for three days.
Next
21–23 May 2027
210 days away
Every year, the 3rd Friday of May, for 3 days
Future dates: 21 May 2027 · 19 May 2028 · 18 May 2029
Origin
It goes back to the founding legend of Sensō-ji: two fishermen brothers pulled a statue of Kannon from the Sumida River, and a local lord enshrined it. Asakusa Shrine venerates those three men as deities — hence sanja, "three shrines".
What to look for
The palanquins are carried roughly and rocked hard on purpose: the shaking is believed to raise the deity's power, so what looks like disorder is in fact the correct form. The pre-dawn start on the third day is the densest moment of the three.
How to watch
Climbing onto a palanquin is forbidden — groups have been barred from the festival for doing it. Never step into a carrying team without being brought in. The lanes are tight and the crowd pushes; carry as little as possible.
Where
Asakusa Shrine
Taitō, Tokyo, Tokyo
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