• 2024.7.28
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This is summer! The "Yokota Carrying" at the Haneda Shrine Annual Festival was so spectacular!

Summer is all about festivals! I had heard rumors that Ota Ward has some unique festivals with a big impact, including the Mizudome no Mai, where a huge amount of water is thrown around. I decided to take this opportunity to go to a festival I'd never been to before, and did some research on social media. I happened to come across a video reel on Instagram showing the "Yokota Carrying" of Haneda Shrine's portable shrine, and was mesmerized by the portable shrine swaying up and down and side to side, to the point that I thought it might fall over! I wanted to see it live and experience this festival, so I decided to go.

What is Haneda Shrine's Summer Festival?

Haneda Shrine's annual summer festival, commonly known as the "Haneda Festival," is held at Haneda Shrine and its surrounding areas on the last Saturday and Sunday of July every year. In 7, it was held on July 6th and 7th. The main event is a parade of 27 portable shrines through the city, and it is said that the carriers alone attract about 28 participants. Including spectators, this festival attracts a total of 14 people, making it the perfect event to experience the excitement of a summer festival!

This festival is especially famous for its "yokota" carrying style, which features the dynamic movement of tipping the mikoshi from side to side. The right side jumps up and the left side crouches down, and this alternating movement is a powerful performance to behold. I'm looking forward to seeing the performance of the carriers!!

I was surprised by the early morning crowds! I walked from Otorii Station to Haneda Shrine.

The first mikoshi was scheduled to depart at 8am, so we arrived at Otorii Station on the Keikyu Line, the closest station to Haneda Shrine, just after 7:XNUMXam. The main street was quiet at first glance, but as we got closer to Haneda Shrine, a crowd gradually gathered! Carriers wearing happi coats of various colors gathered.

We waited for the mikoshi to depart at Haneda Shrine, where an anxious atmosphere was in the air.

When the mikoshi departed at exactly 8 o'clock, the carriers surrounded it, and the excitement instantly reached its peak, as if everyone was taking part in a festival! The mikoshi slowly advanced as spirited calls of "Aissa!" rang out.

In order to secure the route of the mikoshi, police vehicles were blocking off the public roads and a strict security system was in place. When I approached to take a photo, I was overwhelmed by the power of the people carrying the mikoshi.

As the event was held in the height of summer, rest areas were set up where people could hydrate, which showed the cooperative spirit of the local community.

The locals at the hydration station were wearing happi coats, and when you look around the mikoshi, you'll see that they're carrying it. It's rare to see someone not wearing a happi coat, and considering that this happened early on a Sunday morning, it's quite unique.

The people leading the mikoshi and ohayashi were wearing Tengu masks. They were surprisingly friendly, even interacting with children on the street, which was a nice surprise.
Even so, as we slowly walked down the middle of the restricted public road, the somewhat strict atmosphere peculiar to festivals took hold. Local people watched us from inside the houses and shops along the road, and from the sidelines.

Only one mikoshi would depart in the morning, and the remaining mikoshi would depart in the afternoon from Bentenbashi, the nearest station to Tenkubashi Station on the Keikyu Line, so we decided to prepare for that.

The grounds of Haneda Shrine bustling with outdoor stalls

When I returned to the temple grounds in the afternoon, the area was packed with stalls lined up everywhere, bustling with customers of all ages and genders! Many people were wearing yukata, which made the summer festival atmosphere even more special. This was my first time attending a festival this year, and I was excited by the yukata-clad people and the lively atmosphere of the stalls. With chilled pineapple and baby castella in hand, my anticipation for the next main event grew even more.

The outdoor stalls were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but were revived last year. Families and couples happily enjoying their time in the temple grounds somehow seemed to express their joy at being able to enjoy the outdoor stalls.

Limited time offer! Summer limited pop-up Goshuin

When I stopped by the shrine office, I found that the limited edition "Pop-up!! Haneda Shrine Mikoshi Red Stamp" I was after had sold out by the afternoon due to its immense popularity... but they kindly showed me last year's edition.

The three-dimensional design is very luxurious, and the airplane stamp is very much like Haneda Shrine. Even if you are not a stamp collector, the design will make your heart flutter, and it instantly lifted your spirits even in the scorching heat.
Since Haneda Shrine is a place where you can pray for safe flights, they also sell cute amulets in the shape of airplanes, so be sure to check it out.

At Haneda Shrine, we prayed for the safe conclusion of this interview, and then headed to Tenkubashi Station, where the mikoshi (portable shrine) departs.

Large fishing flags fluttering in the sky! The main event, the Mikoshi Parade, finally begins.

As I walked towards Benten Bridge, I could smell the salty sea air and realized that I was very close to the sea. By following the large fishing flags high in the sky as a landmark, I was able to reach Benten Bridge, the starting point of the mikoshi. These fishermen's flags are said to come from the fact that this area, close to Haneda Shrine, was once a fishing town.

As the time approached for the start of the Neighborhood Mikoshi Association Parade at 15 p.m., more and more carriers and local people gathered, and the calm before the storm came as the main event was about to begin. The fact that many residents were peeking out of the windows of nearby buildings also indicated the high level of interest.

As the second mikoshi of the day began to move forward, the attention of the gallery was immediately focused on the mikoshi. Compared to the morning, the distance between the mikoshi and the bearers was much closer, and the atmosphere at the venue was filled with applause from the local people and photos from the press, and I felt an excitement I had never felt before!

"Yokota Carrying" - Dynamic swinging of the mikoshi from side to side

At the Haneda Festival, people don't just carry the mikoshi, but a unique way of carrying it called "Yokota Carrying" that is handed down in Haneda. There is a theory that this way of carrying imitates a ship rocking violently in big waves, a remnant of the town's past as a prosperous fishing town.

The mikoshi sways back and forth so violently that you'll be shocked, thinking it's going to fall over, and even if several mikoshi pass in front of you, you'll find yourself staring at it over and over again.
In the scorching heat, the sight of the carriers shaking the mikoshi with all their might while shouting "Yoissho!" and "Eiyassa!" to get pumped up was cool and inspiring!!

It seems that every neighborhood has its own ohayashi troupe that livens up the festival with live performances on drums and flutes, and their music can be heard constantly in the streets. Their light, lively tunes are refreshing and provide a momentary sense of relaxation.

Many flight attendants from various airlines also participated!

Since Haneda Airport is located in Ota Ward, airlines such as ANA and JAL also visit Haneda Shrine to pray for safety. Every year, original fans and drinks are distributed during the Haneda Festival, and on this day many airline staff members were working as volunteer staff.

We are humbled by how their kind hospitality added even more glamor to an already lively festival.

There were several designs of original fans handed out at the Haneda Festival. If you are an airplane enthusiast, you will want to collect all the fans with beautiful aircraft prints.

The festival is coming to an end! The mikoshi arrives at Haneda Shrine.

Throughout the day, as all 1 mikoshi passed by, the excitement was constant, with many participants watching the progress of the mikoshi.
Local residents walk slowly alongside the procession of mikoshi (portable shrines) as it travels from Benten Bridge to Haneda Shrine, a journey that takes around three hours.

The carriers exerted all their strength until the very end to perform a spectacular Yokota carrying performance, and the sounds of the ohayashi and the applause of the local residents created a sense of unity at the venue. In this era of Reiwa, it is rare to have an opportunity for local people to work so hard on something. With that in mind, I felt very emotional to have been able to participate in this festival.

When all the mikoshi arrived at Haneda Shrine, members of the Haneda Youth Association expressed their gratitude for having managed to safely transport all 14 mikoshi.

Ota Ward's Haneda Festival is a summer festival full of highlights, including Yokota Carrying and Tairyo-bata Flags. In this place where the local people come together and are filled with excitement, you can have a valuable experience of experiencing Haneda's traditions firsthand, along with a warm welcome. Most of the people who carry the mikoshi are locals, but the charm of this festival is that anyone can easily participate if they just want to see the mikoshi and enjoy the outdoor stalls. Next summer, why not experience this excitement and emotion and be enveloped in the warmth of the community?

[Haneda Shrine Summer Festival]

Location: Haneda Shrine
Address: 3-9-12 Hon-Haneda, Ota-ku, Tokyo
Date and time: Last Saturday and Sunday of July every year
Access: 5 minutes on foot from Otorii Station on the Keikyu Line
TEL: 03-3741-0023
Official HP:https://www.hanedajinja.com/index.htm

Writer of this article: Nanyan

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A travel writer who stays in over 30 hotels a year. She loves stylish spaces and sweet treats, and has made it her life's work to visit accommodations and cafes all over Japan. She finds joy in conveying the charms of local areas through her reporting and writing.
I love Ota Ward's rich environment, which has the best of both the city and the countryside, and I also love the city's official PR mascot, Hanepyon. Whenever I see Hanepyon on the train or in front of a store, I can't help but take a picture of him.

Supervision: Satomi Matsumoto/Jun Miyoshi