Yesterday, I noticed an increase of traffic for last year's blog post about the Mitama Matsuri (or Mitama Festival) at the Yasukuni Shrine. I checked the date and realized that it's exactly been a year (plus a day) since I went to the festival. Last year I went with two of my friends, Zifeng and Yang Yang, it was a fun experience. We went there in the evening, and left after sunset.
It took me a while to decide whether I wanted to go again or not, with a newer camera, I could take much better photos than last year's. Too bad I would be going alone, but then, it's always been the case anyway.
This time, I arrived at the shrine at around 7:30pm. It was already night.
And immensely crowded!
The haunted house was still there, so were the two elderly women at the entrance.
Mitama Festival is a celebration of the spirits of the ancestors, people are here to pay their respects. Nearly 30 000 lanterns are hung on the walls throughout the shrine.
It was difficult to wade through the crowd.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
One of my clearest remembrances of last year's festival was the Bon Odori. Last year, the dance was just about to start when I was leaving, this time, I was in the midst of its infectious joy!
Click here if can't see embedded video
Click here if you can't see embedded video
I continued my way, battling through the sea of humanity, pausing only slightly to catch a better glimpse of a beautiful young woman in yukata, yet I pressed on.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
Click here if you can't see embedded video
I arrived at the Chumon Torii, the last gate before the main prayer hall.
I paused before making my way through the gate. I looked at the lanterns, I liked them.
Next to the controversial Yushukan (a Japanese military and war museum) were lanterns of a different kind.
Traditional mural.
And a group of kids running around the trees of the courtyard.
I heard the sound of a woman singing traditional Japanese song and went towards its direction.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
The main courtyard was also filled with lanterns, and lovey dovey young couples, filling my desolate wasteland of a heart with darkness and angst.
Click here if can't see embedded video
I finally made my way to the main prayer building, the Haiden.
Click here if can't see embedded video
The crowd and a pretty girl were praying.
Then, more people praying.
Click here if u can't see embedded video
Yes, the main hall was indeed busy. So busy that I regretted not paying closer attention to the pair of pretty ladies walking across the frame at the 5-10 second mark (evident by the fact that I panned my camera away from them)
Click here if you cannot see embedded video
I turned and left.
But before that, I paused, looking at the swaying banners above me, a kaleidoscope of colours.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
I walked past a girl in Yukata, posing for her lover. Like a model for a photographer in a private photography session, I felt as if I had invaded their privacy even though I was several meters away.
Two babies caught my attention, one had a mohawk, another had cornrows (the one the right, but you can't see in this photo).
I thanked the father and resumed my stroll. Two young ladies in yukata hurried past me.
How odd. Yasukuni Shrine is only 3 stations away from my place. I was told that it was within walking distance (well, a one-hour walk), yet since I've moved to stay in Tokyo in 2008, I've only been there three times. Almost only once a year.
Two ladies disapproved my photo-taking.
I reached the Kudanshita station and took the train home.
It took me a while to decide whether I wanted to go again or not, with a newer camera, I could take much better photos than last year's. Too bad I would be going alone, but then, it's always been the case anyway.
This time, I arrived at the shrine at around 7:30pm. It was already night.
And immensely crowded!
The haunted house was still there, so were the two elderly women at the entrance.
Mitama Festival is a celebration of the spirits of the ancestors, people are here to pay their respects. Nearly 30 000 lanterns are hung on the walls throughout the shrine.
It was difficult to wade through the crowd.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
One of my clearest remembrances of last year's festival was the Bon Odori. Last year, the dance was just about to start when I was leaving, this time, I was in the midst of its infectious joy!
Click here if can't see embedded video
Click here if you can't see embedded video
I continued my way, battling through the sea of humanity, pausing only slightly to catch a better glimpse of a beautiful young woman in yukata, yet I pressed on.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
Click here if you can't see embedded video
I arrived at the Chumon Torii, the last gate before the main prayer hall.
I paused before making my way through the gate. I looked at the lanterns, I liked them.
Next to the controversial Yushukan (a Japanese military and war museum) were lanterns of a different kind.
Traditional mural.
And a group of kids running around the trees of the courtyard.
I heard the sound of a woman singing traditional Japanese song and went towards its direction.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
The main courtyard was also filled with lanterns, and lovey dovey young couples, filling my desolate wasteland of a heart with darkness and angst.
Click here if can't see embedded video
I finally made my way to the main prayer building, the Haiden.
Click here if can't see embedded video
The crowd and a pretty girl were praying.
Then, more people praying.
Click here if u can't see embedded video
Yes, the main hall was indeed busy. So busy that I regretted not paying closer attention to the pair of pretty ladies walking across the frame at the 5-10 second mark (evident by the fact that I panned my camera away from them)
Click here if you cannot see embedded video
I turned and left.
But before that, I paused, looking at the swaying banners above me, a kaleidoscope of colours.
Click here if you can't see embedded video
I walked past a girl in Yukata, posing for her lover. Like a model for a photographer in a private photography session, I felt as if I had invaded their privacy even though I was several meters away.
Two babies caught my attention, one had a mohawk, another had cornrows (the one the right, but you can't see in this photo).
I thanked the father and resumed my stroll. Two young ladies in yukata hurried past me.
How odd. Yasukuni Shrine is only 3 stations away from my place. I was told that it was within walking distance (well, a one-hour walk), yet since I've moved to stay in Tokyo in 2008, I've only been there three times. Almost only once a year.
Two ladies disapproved my photo-taking.
I reached the Kudanshita station and took the train home.
