This traditional festival (matsuri), held every year on August 15th at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, is also known as Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri. Alongside the Sanno Matsuri of Hie Shrine, Akasaka, and the Kanda Matsuri of Kanda Myojin, it is considered one of the Three Great Festivals of Edo.
This year marks the long-awaited “Hon-Matsuri” or “Main Festival”, which comes only once every three years!
Aside from the “Jinkosai” (a ritual procession also known as “Horen-togyo” or Passing of the Phoenix Shrine) when the mikoshi (divine palanquin) of Tomioka Hachiman Shrine is carried around to the areas considered to be under the deity’s protection, there will also be a “Mikoshi Rengo Togyo”, during which a parade of 53 mikoshi from local communities will make its way around town.
In addition, many traditional votive activities will be exhibited on shrine grounds during festival days, including dancing and taiko drum performances, ensuring non-stop excitement.
The “Mikoshi Rengo Togyo”, considered to be the main event of the matsuri, will be held on Sunday, August 13th. Chants of “Wasshoi! Wasshoi!” will reverberate from early morning onward, as onlookers douse mikoshi-carriers lavishly with water when they make their way past. For this reason, the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri is also known as the Water Throwing Festival.
References:http://koto-kanko.jp/event/detail.php?eid=398
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