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Anamori Inari Shrine Lantern Festival

Handmade lanterns light up a summer evening

Venue: Anamori Inari Shrine When: Late Aug 2024

Every year in late August, the parishioners of Anamori Inari Shrine In Ota City join the priests and their attendants to light handmade lanterns, asking Inari-sama, the god of rice, for the granting of wishes.

The lanterns which bear images made by children and adults alike, are set up the day of the festival. Illustrations of kabuki actors and interpretations of ukiyo-e prints hang next to popular characters and naive landscape paintings.

Parishioners and visitors gather around sunset for a Shinto ceremony in the sanctuary before the lantern lighting. The female shrine attendants in red hakama trousers and local elders distribute candles to each person and direct them to make their wish at the opened sanctuary. One by one, each person takes a turn to light the 300 or so lanterns.

Despite being part of vast urban Tokyo, the festival has a hometown feeling, and the parishioners welcome everybody to join the festivities. Just like any small neighborhood festival, the evening is whiled away with children’s dance performances to pop music followed by more traditional drumming and dancing. And eating. Stay around a while and have yakisoba and drinks at the food stalls.

More info

Find out more about Anamori Inari Shrine.

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Novia Mardasari 3 years ago
Creative lantern festival. Love it!
Novia Mardasari 3 years ago
wow that's great... !
Lara Menean 4 years ago
Hi Elizabeth!
It sounds like a lovely festival! :) Did it take place all three evenings from the 23rd to the 25th?
Elizabeth S Author 4 years ago
The lanterns are lit on the first two nights. On the third day, they are on display.
Sébastien Duval 4 years ago
Looks like a nice event! Were you wearing a kimono, Elizabeth? 👘
Elizabeth S Author 4 years ago
I admit I gazed too long at the elderly ladies in yukata. They’re so elegant. I ought to wear one more often.

It was hot and sticky that evening, so after the festival I went to one of the sento pubic baths Ota Ward is famous for.

https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/sento-exploration-in-tokyo-s-ota-city/36049
Kim 4 years ago
So impressive that they're handmade!
Bonson Lam 4 years ago
They remind me of the "matchbox art" from the 1920 Taisho Period. Beautiful! https://en.japantravel.com/kyoto/daishodo-rare-books-and-art-prints/3505
Novia Mardasari 3 years ago
So many good things in Japan, always has reason to visit Japan :)

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