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Tokyo - the City of Many Celebrations

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



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