TOKYO - The Akasaka Hikawa Festival, a traditional event dating back to the Edo period, reached its final day in Tokyo’s Akasaka district with sixteen portable shrines parading through the streets, filling the area with lively chants and large crowds of spectators.
The festival, which began on September 15th, is known as one of the capital’s long-cherished traditions. The highlight came in the morning with the Shinko Festival, where a ceremonial procession led by shrine representatives was followed by the Hikawa float—an artifact preserved from the Edo period—and 16 mikoshi carried by participants through the streets of Akasaka.
“I’m so glad to be part of such a historic festival. Nothing beats working up a good sweat and then enjoying a cold beer,” said one participant. Another visitor, who attended with his young son, remarked, “It was our first time here, and the energy was overwhelming.”
The lively parades are scheduled to continue until evening, after which the festival will close with a Bon Odori dance, bringing the centuries-old tradition to a festive conclusion.
