SANJA MATSURI - Asakusa Tokyo 2015, 浅草三社祭 vol.1

SANJA MATSURI, which is one of the Three Great Festivals of EDO (now Tokyo), is held on the third Saturday and Sunday every May by the Ujiko ( inhabitants of the neighbouring community) at Asakusa Shirne (previously called “SANJA Daigongen Shrine“ ),sacred to the tutelary deity of the locality ,Asakusa. Although the festival seems to date from older times, the presentday from of the festival was established in the Edo period (1603-1868). The parade of the portable shrines is conducted primarily for the mutual amity of the Ujiko and he prosperity of the community but also enjoyed by people other than the Ujiko. --------------------------------------------------- 浅草の三社祭の始まりは、正和元年(1312)から三社の神話に基づいた船祭だと言われている。 江戸時代には大祭前夜、神輿を観音本堂の外陣に安置された。びんざさら舞も堂前の舞台で行われており、当時は浅草寺と一体となった祭りで、「観音祭」又は「浅草祭」と呼ばれた。 祭礼当日の早朝から山車を中心とする祭礼行列が浅草見附の御門外に集合する。 浅草寺の仲見世通りから境