| However, Tokyo is not the city that can boast its | | | | While mikoshi is displayed to the public, there are |
| ancient holidays it became the capital only in 19th | | | | dances and songs performed by the holiday |
| century and, therefore most of its celebrations | | | | participants. Also, hawker's stands appear all over the |
| appeared later. But what is special about Tokyo is that | | | | place, where you can buy traditional festive food such |
| there are a lot of events here. | | | | as okonomiyaki pancakes with eggs and cabbage as |
| According to the Japanese hand-book, the Japanese | | | | well as yakisoba buckwheat noodles. |
| prefecture celebrates about 900 holidays annually. For | | | | There are traditional trading holidays here as well. For |
| instance, if you walk along the city on Saturday or | | | | example, in November, when the hen day comes (in |
| Sunday, you are most likely to encounter some street | | | | Japan, every day is dedicated to some animal), there |
| procession. Yet none of the holidays are alike, even | | | | are kumade amulets sold in two of the Tokyo temples. |
| though the Shinto celebration scheme is more or less | | | | According to the popular belief, kumades help keep off |
| the same. The idea of this religion is rather simple. | | | | the evil forces and is translated as "the bear paw". |
| However, the simplicity of the doctrine is compensated | | | | They are created of rice straw, piny branches, and the |
| by the complexity, vividness and gorgeousness of its | | | | strange object that looks like rake (the "bear paw" |
| rituals. | | | | itself). |
| Since childhood, Japanese children are surrounded with | | | | Buddhist holidays are also celebrated here - but |
| holiday atmosphere. For example, 15th of November is | | | | Buddhist and Shinto temples are usually visited by the |
| the "7-5-3" day when children of 7, 5 and 3 years old | | | | same people: they celebrate at Shinti temples, but bury |
| dress special kimono (that is only weared once in a | | | | only in Buddhist. Nevertheless, thanks to the long |
| lifetime), go to the temple and get a gift. The older | | | | co-existence of these two religions, nowadays there |
| boys take more active part in holidays the help carry | | | | are joyous and noisy holidays celebrated at the |
| the holiday taiko drum. | | | | Buddhist temples as well. |
| The other important Shinto holiday attribute is the | | | | Thus, at the Asakusa Tokyo district you can find two |
| mikoshi portable shrine with a sacred object inside. | | | | temples not far from each other that seem to |
| Outside, wooden mikoshi is gilded and adorned with | | | | compete in their importance. After the mikoshi parade, |
| various figures (most often it is birds' heads). Robustly | | | | there comes the Buddhist holiday of gilded dragon, |
| built men dressed in special kimonos carry the shrine | | | | which is carried by the four experienced puppeteers. |
| along the streets, but nowadays, this role is sometimes | | | | After the performance, the dragon is displayed more |
| played by women. | | | | closely to the public. |