Yasukuni Shrine – Searchlights

Two searchlights are casting beams of light above the grand Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo during the Miraitoterasu festival last month.

Tetzutsu Hanabi – Yasukuni Shrine

Last weekend was the stylish (and quite tiny) Miraitoterasu festival at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine and on both the Friday that saw the torrential rains and the mild Sunday there was a display of Tetzutsu Hanabi, handheld fireworks. I wrote a little on the history and art of Tetzutsu fireworks in this blog, so please have look! The Yasukuni event had I think 100 bundles, quite large. One person waited to pick it up while the other one lit it. After a good fire had started it would be picked up and pointed to the sky before going out in a big bang and a final burst of fire directed downwards. Few festivals are as colorful, loud and smelly as this one!

Yasukuni Shrine Miraitoterasu Light Up

During the three day Miraitoterasu festival at the Yasukuni Shrine in in Kudanshita district, central Tokyo, one of the museum buildings attached to the shrine was lit up by projection mapping showing the four seasons of the shrine. I must have been here a hundred times but I never tire seeing the shrine covered in cherry blossoms or autumn leaves.

Mitama Matsuri – Bringing in the Omikoshi

More photos from the grand Mitama Matsuri taking place at Tokyo’s centrally located Yasukuni Shrine, from Monday to Thursday this year. I was there on the first day of the festival to see the beautiful Omikoshi (portable shrine) being carried all the way up the shrine, pausing a few times on the way to let the people carrying it catch their breath. This is one of the most prestigious omikoshi in the capital, so there is quite a lot (good hearted, usually, but not always) jostling for the most honorable spots underneath it! A few people also took the opportunity to pose with the omikoshi before the last spurt under the great gatehouse. Since the festival is tied in with the traditional tanabata celebrations there are usually some very colorful decorations hanging from the front of the grand gatehouse.

If you are in Tokyo, don’t miss the last day of the festival tomorrow! It is better than ever this year!