下町にあふれる祭りのグルーヴ。
家になんかいられない、今年も狂乱の夏がやってくる。
Essay
2024.05.23
photo_Toshinori Okada
Text_Toshinori Okada
浅草の近く、合羽橋のあたりに暮らしていると夏が凄いことになる。そう、祭りが始まるから。
皮切りは、下町で一番早い夏祭りといわれる下谷神社大祭で、今年は5月10日から。そこから怒濤のような祭りラッシュがスタートする!そもそも、この辺りには神社がたくさんある。小野照崎神社、秋葉神社、三河島神社、鳥越神社、浅草神社などなど。それらが週替わりのように祭りを開催するのだからゆっくりしていられない。それだけではない、入谷朝顔まつりや浅草寺のほおずき市といった市もたつ。夏の風物詩といえば涼やかな感じだが、実際はインバウンドの外国人観光客も混じって大賑わいになる。みんな汗だくで、それでも楽しいのは気分が高揚していからか。そして、クライマックスとなるのは、なんといっても三社祭だ。
三社祭に下町が大いに盛り上がることは知っていたが、実際に住んでみると、浅草に暮らす住民たちの本気度に驚かされる。三社祭の間は、ふんどしとはちまきが普段着になる。道端に床机台をだしてご近所さんと酒を飲み、そして老若男女を問わず、みんな真剣に神輿を担ぐ。いやぁ、楽しい!この辺りの人たちは三社祭のために生きているといっても過言ではないと思う。
そんな地域だから夏は毎週末、どこからかお囃子やワッショイワッショイ、チンチキドンドンと聞こえてくる。こんどの日曜は家でのんびり過ごそう、なんてことはできない。町を包みこむ祭りのグルーヴにいてもたってもいられなくなり、ビール片手にふらりとでていってしまうのだ。
さらに、あちらこちらで盆踊りがあり、隅田川では花火が上がる、まさに狂乱の夏。今年も熱くなりそうだ。
A festival groove fills the downtown streets.
Staying at home is impossible—another frenzied summer is coming.
If you live near Asakusa, in the Kappabashi area, summer turns into a vibrant festival season.
It kicks off with the Shitaya Shrine Festival, the earliest summer festival in downtown, starting on May 10th this year. From there, a whirlwind of festivals begins! The area counts many shrines. This sparks a flurry of nearly weekly festivals at local shrines like Ono Terusaki, Akiba, Mikawashima, Torigoe, and Asakusa Shrines, so there's little time to rest. But that's not all—there are also markets like the Iriya Morning Glory Festival and the Asakusa Temple Hozuki Market at Sensoji Temple. Although summer festivals evoke refreshment, they're actually bustling hubs of activity, packed with both international tourists and locals, all sharing in the high spirits despite the heat. The season's highlight is the Sanja Festival.
Living in Asakusa, I knew that the Sanja Festival would liven up the downtown area, but experiencing it firsthand showed me just how deeply the locals cherish this event. During the festival, fundoshi and hachimaki become everyday wear. People set up low tables on the streets to drink with neighbors, and everyone, regardless of age or gender, earnestly carries mikoshi. It's truly fun, and it's no exaggeration to say the people here live for the Sanja Festival.
With such a tight-knit community, every summer weekend is filled with the sounds of festival music, shouts of "wasshoi, wasshoi," and the clang of bells and drums. Sunday relaxation at home becomes unthinkable. Swept up by the vibrant festival atmosphere that fills the town, I often find myself roaming the streets with a beer in hand.
Moreover, the area host various Bon festival dances, and fireworks are set off over the Sumida River, adding to the summer madness. It’s shaping up to be another lively summer.
A festival groove fills the downtown streets.
Staying at home is impossible—another frenzied summer is coming.
If you live near Asakusa, in the Kappabashi area, summer turns into a vibrant festival season.
It kicks off with the Shitaya Shrine Festival, the earliest summer festival in downtown, starting on May 10th this year. From there, a whirlwind of festivals begins! The area counts many shrines. This sparks a flurry of nearly weekly festivals at local shrines like Ono Terusaki, Akiba, Mikawashima, Torigoe, and Asakusa Shrines, so there's little time to rest. But that's not all—there are also markets like the Iriya Morning Glory Festival and the Asakusa Temple Hozuki Market at Sensoji Temple. Although summer festivals evoke refreshment, they're actually bustling hubs of activity, packed with both international tourists and locals, all sharing in the high spirits despite the heat. The season's highlight is the Sanja Festival.
Living in Asakusa, I knew that the Sanja Festival would liven up the downtown area, but experiencing it firsthand showed me just how deeply the locals cherish this event. During the festival, fundoshi and hachimaki become everyday wear. People set up low tables on the streets to drink with neighbors, and everyone, regardless of age or gender, earnestly carries mikoshi. It's truly fun, and it's no exaggeration to say the people here live for the Sanja Festival.
With such a tight-knit community, every summer weekend is filled with the sounds of festival music, shouts of "wasshoi, wasshoi," and the clang of bells and drums. Sunday relaxation at home becomes unthinkable. Swept up by the vibrant festival atmosphere that fills the town, I often find myself roaming the streets with a beer in hand.
Moreover, the area host various Bon festival dances, and fireworks are set off over the Sumida River, adding to the summer madness. It’s shaping up to be another lively summer.
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三社祭で盛り上がる浅草。