Tokyo's downtown festival lovers' hearts race — Taitō Ward's Asakusa Shrine Sanja Festival finally starts Friday the 17th. "Mikoshi Fukagawa, dashi Kanda, wide is Sannō-sama" — though not among Edo's three great festivals with Fukagawa (Tomioka Hachiman, Koto), Kanda (Kanda Myōjin, parish areas including Kanda Nishiki-chō near Palaceside Building in Takebashi, held last week after four years), and Sannō (Hie Shrine, parish in Kōjimachi, Ōtemachi, Nagatachō), some Edokko swap Fukagawa for Sanja — that beloved a festival. Especially the mikoshi procession with brave carriers in matching happi, shouting "Soiya, soiya" through each neighborhood — magnificent, drawing crowds.
Day one, the 17th, from 1 p.m.: a grand parade with hayashi floats, stylish Edo firemen's chants, intangible-cultural-heritage binzasara dance, white-heron dance, binzasara dedication, and "Each-Town Mikoshi Spirit-Entry" moving the shrine spirit to 44 parish mikoshi. The eve, the 16th, 7 p.m.: "Main-Shrine Mikoshi Spirit-Entry" to three main mikoshi. By daytime the 16th, festival banners stood before the torii and Sanja lanterns decorated shops — ready to go.
Saturday the 18th: regular festival rites; 100 neighborhood mikoshi from 44 parishes gather behind Sensō-ji, depart one by one, receive purification at Asakusa Shrine, then parade each town. Sunday the 19th: climax. 6 a.m. the three main mikoshi leave south, east, and west; all-day neighborhood processions peak the festival. Drum offerings in the precincts; 6 p.m. mikoshi return (miyairi), then spirit-return rite — curtain.
Around Asakusa the next week: "Ofuji-san Plant Market" centered on Asakusa Shrine; first week of June, Kuramae Shrine regular festival famed for gorgeous main mikoshi; the week after, Torigoe Festival's thousand-kan mikoshi; July 6 (Sat.)–8 (Mon.) Inari Kannon morning-glory market; 9–10 (Tue.–Wed.) Sensō-ji hōzuki market; 27 (Sat.) Sumida River fireworks — fun events keep coming.