“Tokimeki Taito Festa 2006” Tokyo Historical Festival

†The date and time:2006/11/3 13:30-16:00
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The history of Tokyo goes back over 400 years, from its founding by Ota Dokan in 1457 and Tokugawa Ieyasu,s arrival in Edo in 1590. But Asakusa,s history stretches even farther back, as it was in 628, nearly 1,400 years ago, that a statue of Bodhisattva Kannon found in the Sumida River was brought to Asakusa to be worshipped. The area, with Senso-ji temple at its heart, developed a distinctive local culture, especially during the Edo period, as the flourishing center of Edo townspeople,s culture. Asakusa is still popular today as the district that most faithfully retains the flavor of old Edo. It,s also popularamong international visitors as a representative shitamachi district that,s home to the ordinary people of Tokyo. Thefirst Tokyo Historical Festival, a pageant recreating the history of Edo/Tokyo took place on November 3, 1989. It was the culmination of a long-held dream. The purpose of this event was to highlight the fact that Tokyo,s history and culture originated in Asakusa, and to establish the presence and uniqueness of Asakusa in Tokyo as a city of the world. The festival, now in its 18th year, has proved a popular attraction and features the newly added participation of the citizens of Taito City. We look forward to your continued encouragement.

 

 
† Program(A photograph is a thing of last year)

First Child Edo musical accompaniment
1. Festival maine flag
2. Prefect
3, The Origins of Senso-ji Temple
  In 628, two brothers fishing in the Sumida River that runs near Asakusa found a small Buddhist statue.When the local landowning clan learned that the statue depicted Bodhisattva Kannon, they transformed their home into a temple, establishing Senso-ji, which is Tokyo,s oldest temple.
4. “Kinryu no Mai”(The Dance of the Golden Dragon)
  There is a legend that ryujin, the dragon god, descended from the heavens to protect the Kannon statue while it was being venerated at Senso-ji temple. This dance, with expert manipulation of the golden dragon, recreates the legend.
5. Ariwara no Narihira, on a Visit to Kanto from Kyoto
  Ariwara no Narihira is one of the best-known poets of the Heian period (794-1192), during which Japan,s distinctive culture developed. During a visit to Kanto, he composed waka (a genre of verse composed using 31 syllables) about the love he left behind in Kyoto. Those verses still have the power to stir emotions even today.
6. Senso-ji Temple and Minamoto no Yoritomo
  Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147-99), founder of the Kamakura shogunate, prayed for victory at Senso-ji temple before setting off on military campaigns. His prayers were answered, and he set up a military government that controlled all of Japan. Ever since that time, rulers over the ages have had strong faith in Senso-ji temple.
7. Hojo Masako on a Pilgrimage to Senso-ji Temple
  Hojo Masako (1156-1225), wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo, was a powerful influence behind-the-scenes. After Yoritomo,s death, she rescued the shogunate from crises on many occasions. In the meantime, she made pilgrimages to Senso-ji temple, where she may have asked for divine protection for the shogunate at this temple associated with her husband.

 


8. Carrying Mikoshi by Boat for the Sanja Festival
  The Sanja Festival is one of the “Big Three Festivals of Edo.” Until the mid-1800s, the mikoshi (sacred palanquins) used in the festival were carried by boat to pray for parishioners, health and happiness. Today, the three mikoshi are carried around the streets of Asakusa on parishioners, shoulders, and sacred dances are performed at Asakusa Shrine, which organizes the Sanja Festival.
9. Sub flag
10. Ota Dokan, Founder of Edo
  Ota Dokan (1432-86) built Edo Castle in 1456, marking the start of the settlement that would grow to become present-day Tokyo. Edo Castle was renowned for its beauty, expressing the sensibilities of its founder, who was also a noted waka (a genre of verse composed using 31 syllables) poet.
11. Tokugawa Ieyasu,s Arrival in Edo
  Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) arrived in Edo to take up residence in 1590. He refurbished Edo Castle, improved the town,s facilities and laid the foundations for long-term government. He chose Senso-ji temple to be the Tokugawa family temple and made a pilgrimage there himself in 1616.
12. The Ladies-in-waiting of the O-oku
  The O-oku was where the shogun,s wife lived, and the only man allowed on the premises was the shogun himself. All of the work to run the O-oku, including night patrols, was carried out by the ladies-in-waiting.
13. Tokugawa Iemitsu and the Founding of Sanja Gongen Shrine
  Iemitsu (1604-51), the third Tokugawa shogun, strengthened the authority of the shogunal government. Sanja Gongen Shrine (the modern-day Asakusa Shrine), which he founded in 1649, is designated an National Important Cultural Property.
14. Daimyo,s Procession for Alternate-year Attendance
  Bearers armed with long spears, shouting “Shitani, shitani...”(Heads down, heads down!) headed daimyo processions along the main highways. In 1634, Tokugawa Iemitsu decreed that daimyo should spend each alternate year in residence in Edo, where their families resided, traveling to Edo every second year from the provinces they administered. Daimyo processions epitomize the lights and shadows of the Edo period (1603-1867), because while they were spectacular occasions they also underlined the fact that daimyo,s families were essentially held hostage in Edo.

 


15. “Hanami-odori”(Flower-viewing Dance) by Towns People
  By the mid-Edo period, a vibrant and light-hearted townspeople,s culture was flourishing. Common folk enjoying spring cherry-blossom viewing in nearby Ueno perform a cheerful dance, clad in charming costumes.
16. The Revenge of the 47 Ronin
  On December 14, 1702, 47 ronin led by Oishi Kuranosuke (1659-1703) killed Kira Kozukenosuke (1641-1702) to avenge their lord. This tale, which glorifies the loyalty of retainers to their lord, is still popular among Japanese today.
17. Ooka Echizen and the Firemen of Edo
  Ooka Echizen (1677-1752), a judge who lived in the Edo period, was famed for his fair and humane rulings. In 1717, he left a lasting accomplishment when he established 48 brigades whose job was to be on the lookout for and extinguish fires in Edo.
18. The Dance to the Seven Gods of Fortune by the Ichimuraza
  The head of the Ichimuraza kabuki troupe, active in the mid-1800s toward the end of the Edo period, had a devout belief in Bodhisattva Kannon of Asakusa. It is said that every time the troupe held performances, they danced the Dance to the Seven Gods of Fortune while intoning the virtues of Kannon.
19. The Origins of Edo Kabuki
  Edo kabuki, the culmination of the townspeople,s culture, originated in 1624 when Saruwaka Kanzaburo (c.1598-1658) began staging plays in Edo. Many star performers emerged, who were wildly popular among all classes of people.
20. A Popular Figure of the Edo Period
  Fires frequently ravaged Edo, and the constant rebuilding gave the city its vitality. Ordinary townspeople promoted the development of culture and played active roles in town planning. A popular figure of the time was Okubo Hikozaemon (1560-1639), a samurai and high-ranking government official, who was widely admired for his righteousness and for standing up, if necessary, to the shogun.
21. Geisha of Edo(Asakusa Geisha)
  Geisha are highly accomplished women trained in classical Japanese dance and shamisen (Japanese three-stringed plucked lute) playing who provide entertainment at social gatherings. Clad in brilliant finery and wearing traditional makeup, Edo geisha were famous for their panache and elegance.
22. Sub flag
23. The Black Ships Off Uraga
  In 1853, a fleet of American warships (the“black ships”) bearing envoy Matthew Calbraith Perry appeared off the coast of Uraga, a city at the entrance of Tokyo Bay. The magistrate of Uraga, in charge of security for Edo, had to deal with the unexpected visitors. The sound of cannons fired in salute plunged the people of Edo into a panic, and the arrival of the black ships marked the beginning of the end for Japan,s 300-year old policy of seclusion.
24. The End of the Shogunate and the Shinsengumi
  The Shinsengumi corps was created at the end of the Edo period to maintain security in the imperial capital Kyoto. The men of the Shinsengumi, who strove to live by the code of Bushido even while buffeted by the winds of history, are still a popular theme in movies and dramas today.


25. Tokugawa Yoshinobu—the Last Shogun
  Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837-1913), who returned political authority over Japan to the emperor in 1867, was the last of the Tokugawa shoguns, whose rule had lasted 264 years. Although forces supporting the emperor were starting to take violent means to overturn the shogunate, Yoshinobu was able to spare Edo from destruction and make the transfer of power smoothly. This accomplishment contributed to his renown.
26. From Edo to Tokyo
  The new Meiji government set out to remake Japan into a modern nation with the emperor at the center of the political system. Edo was renamed Tokyo (“Eastern Capital”) and became the new center of Japanese politics.
27. The “Civilization and Progress”Era and Ichiyo Higuchi
  The new government actively encouraged the adoption of Western culture. Systems and customs changed radically and Japan aimed to transform itself from a feudal country to a modern nation. Ichiyo Higuchi (1872-96), one of the best-known professional women writers of the period, produced masterpieces occupying a prominent place in modern Japanese literature.
28. Asakusa, a Popular Spot for Ordinary Folks
  Asakusa has long flourished as a quarter just outside the precincts of Senso-ji temple. During the Edo period, street performers, freak shows and other diversions established themselves in the area behind the temple, which became a major entertainment district for ordinary people. Even as Edo became Tokyo, Asakusa remained a popular entertainment spot for the masses.