• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

  • Photowalks
  • Book and Prints
  • Newsletter
  • Portfolio
  • About/Contact
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • RSS

Jun 04 2013 8 Comments

Close up and personal at a traditional Japanese festival

Japan happily adopts new trends and customs, more often than not blending them so effortlessly into the culture that in no time at all they are part of the culture. But, as rapidly as things change, in many ways they also stay very much the same. An impressive feat that is particularly noticeable when it comes to traditional festivals.

Almost always boisterous and packed affairs, it’s immediately clear that many of them haven’t altered much in the countless decades they have been held. Something that’s especially true when it comes to Asakusa’s Sanja Matsuri, which dates back as far as the sixteen hundreds in its current form. Plus many more centuries earlier in regards less organised celebrations.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

An event that, along with the same customs, is clearly just as much fun as it has always has been.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Of a very similar intensity too.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

The only real change being the faces on show — both of those involved, and those not.

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri

Categorized: Culture, Photography, Religion

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Magnus369 says

    6/4/2013 at 8:51 am

    Looks like he wants to take your camera away in that last picture…

    Reply
    • Lee says

      6/4/2013 at 10:40 am

      A little bit, yeah. It got a bit hairy at times. Me and countless other people were squeezed in at the sides, and he and others were desperately trying to steer the mikoshi down the street with people getting injured, or property damaged. A feat he managed with considerable skill.

      Reply
  2. Marc Tobolski says

    6/4/2013 at 10:41 pm

    Nice shots! Incredibly cramped quarters to compose and execute these. Better than Osaka where it is similar to the running of the bulls and bystanders beware!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      6/5/2013 at 12:18 am

      Cheers!

      Yeah, there wasn’t much room at all. Although whilst a bit hairy at times, it doesn’t sound anywhere near as chaotic as Osaka.

      Reply
  3. Sonia Afonso says

    6/5/2013 at 5:51 am

    Great pictures!
    I really enjoy Tokyo Times!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      6/5/2013 at 10:49 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Dochimichi1 says

    6/20/2013 at 7:21 pm

    Excellent pictures!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      6/21/2013 at 7:33 pm

      Thank you very much!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Copyright © 2025 · Tokyo Times