Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri

One of the BEST SUMMER FESTIVALS in Japan: Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri (下町七夕まつり)

Easily one of the best summer festivals in Tokyo I have ever been to: The Shitamachi Tanabata Festival ( 下町七夕まつり )

Shitamachi (下町), literally under-city, is a traditional name for the Eastern side of Tokyo, which has traditionally been poorer in the past. It includes Chuo-ku, Taito-ku, Adachi-ku, Edogawa-ku, parts of Chiyoda-ku and more generally everything around Sumida river and Arakawa river. The festival itself is centered around the old center of shitamachi, namely Ueno and Asakusa, which are in Taito-ku.

Here is a link for everyone, who wants to learn more about Shitamachi and the opposite, Yamanote:


The tanabata festival has its origins in the Chinese Qixi Festival. It is probably best known for the colorful Streamers (吹き流し Fukinagashi) which serve as decoration all over the festival location. Another important component are paper strips (短冊 Tanzaku) which are attached to trees with wishes and thanks-messages on them.
Of course, you can also see a plethora of food stalls with Japanese street food and typical Japanese summer drinks, as well as unique dance performances. These often include taiko performances.

I have captured two wonderful performances in this video. One quite long taiko performance, as well as a stilt dance performance. You can see both in full in two other videos:

Taiko performance:


Stilt dance performance:


The shitamachi tanabata matsuri is located exactly between Ueno and Asakusa station, following the famous Kappabashi Dogu Street (合羽橋道具街). Outside of the festival season, it is known for being a good place to buy kitchen utensils, especially knives. If you want to buy a Japanese kitchen knife, this is the place to go in Tokyo!

More and yearly updated information can be found on the official website of the Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri:



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Tanabata in Nishi Asakusa

Here you are, in Tokyo.

Take a three minute stroll in Nishi Asakusa during Tanabata.

Taito-ku Shitamachi Museum in Ueno Park and Asakusa (下町風俗資料館)

Tanabata Matsuri Asakusa 2014 Drums Tambores

下町風俗資料館 SHITAMACHI MUSEUM AJJIF GLOBAL - JAPAN 2018

下町風俗資料館 SHITAMACHI MUSEUM AJJIF GLOBAL - JAPAN 2018
( )
全日本柔術国際連盟
AJJIF GLOBAL
ALL JAPAN JU-JITSU INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION
WORLD JU-JITSU GOVERNING BODY
Tradition of Excellence

Asakusa Sanja Matsuri. Tokyo. 2007.

Japan Summer 2010 (16) - Asagao-ichi

The Asagao-ichi (Morning Glory Fair) in front of the Iriya no Kishibojin (Shingenji Temple).

ASAKUSA DAIKO (ASAKUSA GEISYA)

淺草芸者衆による淺草太鼓の演奏。
撮影カメラはSONY NEX-FS700とRED EPIC。

Shitamachi

We happened to see some Omatsuri in Ikebukuro.

Shinjuku Eisa Matsuri taiko by Drum Shoen

Autumn festival in Shinjuku - 2016

The event is called Autumn in Nishi Shinjuku , basically a stage where many performers come and celebrate the upcoming fall.

2012 Taiko 1. Museo Edo-Tokio

Tokio 2012. Museo de Edo-Tokio
Tambor japones o Taiko