Weather: 13 deg
Author: Chrissie
Hi all, it's spring in Japan and that means Cherry Blossom time!! To celebrate the onset of spring, there are a large number of matsuri (festivals) being presented in Tokyo throughout the months of March and April. Today's post is about the Golden Dragon Dance festival (Kinryu no Mai matsuri) we attended at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.
RAMEN
However, first things first!! Food! We decided to have lunch in Ueno and wanted to have it at this ramen restaurant we ate at the first night we landed in Tokyo on our Japan hoiday in 2007. In our minds, it was the best ramen we ever had and we of course wanted to relive our experience. I ordered a miso ramen (one of my favourite types) and Amy had a tsukemen, which is a type of ramen but with the soup and noodles served separately. It was just as yummy as we remembered!!
Chrissie's miso ramen!
Amy's tsukemenAfter stuffing ourselves, we decided we needed the walk to Sensoji Temple. This temple is one of the most well-known and popular in Tokyo. If you have to visit a temple in Tokyo, it would have to be this one!!
There is a rabbit warren of shopping streets surrounding the temple, with the main shopping street leading up to the temple called Nakamise. As we had some time before the start of the dragon dance, we went for a browse through some of these streets. It's where we bought our first pairs of shoes (see Amy's post on the shoes she bought)!!
There is a rabbit warren of shopping streets surrounding the temple, with the main shopping street leading up to the temple called Nakamise. As we had some time before the start of the dragon dance, we went for a browse through some of these streets. It's where we bought our first pairs of shoes (see Amy's post on the shoes she bought)!!
Shin Nakamise - one of the shopping streets we walked through
Nakamise was very crowded as usual. You can see the temple in the background.GOLDEN DRAGON DANCE
We bypassed nakamise pretty quickly as we had been to it previously and before we knew it, we had stumbled across the gate where the parade of the Golden Dragon would start.
A little background story of the Golden Dragon Dance. Please skip this if you're only interested in the pics! This is what I found on the net:
"Apparently, the official temple name of Sensoji temple is Kinryuzan (Mountain of Golden Dragon) and this name comes from a tale about a golden dragon. On March 18, in the year 628, two fisherman brothers encountered a small Buddhist statue and showed it to their master Nakatomo Hajino, who recognized that the statue was actually Seikanzeon Bosatsu (or Buddha, deity of this temple). After placing the statue on top of a pagoda tree stump, Hajino decided to become a priest and changed his house into a temple.
According to the legend, 1000 pine trees suddenly appeared overnight near the temple on the 18th day. Three days later, a golden dragon measuring 100 shaku (approx. 30 m) descended into the pine trees from the heavens and was never seen again. The golden guardian dragon appeared from the heaven at the time of the revelation of Kwan-yin. The dance is presented on March 18 when the temple's sacred image is unveiled for public viewing.
It is performed by more than 70 male volunteers from local youth organizations who first purify themselves before devoting themselves wholeheartedly to the dance."
A little background story of the Golden Dragon Dance. Please skip this if you're only interested in the pics! This is what I found on the net:
"Apparently, the official temple name of Sensoji temple is Kinryuzan (Mountain of Golden Dragon) and this name comes from a tale about a golden dragon. On March 18, in the year 628, two fisherman brothers encountered a small Buddhist statue and showed it to their master Nakatomo Hajino, who recognized that the statue was actually Seikanzeon Bosatsu (or Buddha, deity of this temple). After placing the statue on top of a pagoda tree stump, Hajino decided to become a priest and changed his house into a temple.
According to the legend, 1000 pine trees suddenly appeared overnight near the temple on the 18th day. Three days later, a golden dragon measuring 100 shaku (approx. 30 m) descended into the pine trees from the heavens and was never seen again. The golden guardian dragon appeared from the heaven at the time of the revelation of Kwan-yin. The dance is presented on March 18 when the temple's sacred image is unveiled for public viewing.
It is performed by more than 70 male volunteers from local youth organizations who first purify themselves before devoting themselves wholeheartedly to the dance."
A cute little Japanese girl entranced by the sight of the geishas. You can see a glimpse of the golden dragon in the far background.
The geishas getting into their palanquin. Security guards in the foreground keeping the tourists at bay.Amy and I decided to each stand on opposite sides of the street so we would have pictures from two different angles. Here are some of the pics we took!
The start of the parade! The guy in front is carrying a banner with the words "Golden Dragon Dance".
Young boys in costume, acting as guardians
The golden dragon making his appearance! The dragon is held up on poles carried by the male volunteers.
The dragon bending down to grant his benevolence to the bystanders.
Framing his magnificence against the blue sky
Following behind the dragon are the geishas in their float, playing traditional Japanese instruments - the flute and shamisen (lute)
Cymbal players following behind the geishas
Us and the rest of the crowd following behind the parade procession towards the main temple grounds
The dragon dancing its way towards the main entrance of the temple
Entering the main gates
More dancing in front of the main temple - the temple appears to be under some renovation with the scaffolding and mesh
Bystanders touching the golden dragon for luck
Some speeches and the real dragon dance in the main square.
After the ceremony was over, we were allowed to go closer to the geishas and dragon for a better look.
Geishas selling charms or temple souvenirs
A closer look at the golden scales of the dragon
The dragon head
A closer look at the geishas playing their instruments
Amy in front of Sensoji temple's five tiered pagoda
My turn!!
A beautiful pond at Sensoji TempleThat was it for the golden dragon dance! Apparently it is performed again in autumn as a memorial service for Chrysanthemums. This is just the first of many festivals we've been attending, look forward to more! Mata ne!
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