Day 4
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What's this? Fukagawa Hachiman Festival photos by Philbert Ono. Held in mid-August in Koto Ward, Tokyo, this is the festival's full-scale version held once every three years (1996, 1999, 2002, etc.).

Sacred Carriage Procession
Aug. 17, 1996

The fourth day of the festival was devoted to the Sacred Carriage Procession. The procession consisted of a convoy of about six flatbed trucks specially converted to carry shrine priests, shrine maidens, musicians, and the Horen Sacred Carriage's portable shrine which was the centerpiece. The purpose of this important procession was to bring the deity's blessings closer to the people.

Each truck was outfitted with a wooden roof and tatami mats on the floor. The yellow banner on the front of the truck reads "Tomioka Hachimangu Shinko-sai" (Tomioka Hachiman Shrine Divine Blessing Festival).

The procession departed the shrine at 7:30 a.m. and embarked on a complicated, 70-kilometer route in Koto Ward and neighboring Chuo Ward. It went as far south as Odaiba and Ariake, near the waterfront, as well as east to Toyo, near the Koto City Office. It was scheduled to return to the shrine at 4:30 p.m.

As part of the full-scale version of this festival, this procession is held only once every 3 years.

 

Shrine maidens on one of the trucks.

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Last modified: 2002-07-10