Sanno Matsuri
Sanno Matsuri is the festival of Hie Shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo, and is traditionally counted among Edo (old Tokyo)'s three great festivals alongside Kanda Matsuri and Fukagawa Matsuri. Its full grand procession (Shinkosai) is held in even-numbered years in mid-June, alternating with Kanda Matsuri's odd-year schedule, so the two never compete for the spotlight in the same year; odd years bring a smaller-scale festival without the main parade. The centerpiece procession is a striking sight: several hundred participants in Heian and Edo court costume, ox-drawn carts, and ornamented mikoshi wind through central Tokyo, passing near the Imperial Palace, Ginza, and Nihonbashi, a route historically granted because Hie Shrine's deity was considered a guardian of the Tokugawa shogunate and, later, the city itself. Hie Shrine sits on a hill near the National Diet Building and Akasaka's business district, giving the festival an unusual backdrop of government and corporate Tokyo. Visitors should confirm the year's festival scale before planning a trip solely around the parade.
Event information
| When | Usually held in mid June; check the official site for the latest schedule |
|---|---|
| Where | Tokyo |
| Access | Hie Shrine is a short walk from Tameike-sanno Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza/Namboku lines) or Akasaka-mitsuke Station. |
| Schedule status | Check the official site |
| Official information | Open the official site |
Practical tips
- The full Shinkosai procession only happens in even-numbered years; confirm on the shrine's official site whether the year you're visiting features the grand parade or the smaller version.
- Hie Shrine's approach includes a notable escalator up the hillside shrine steps, a rare convenience among Tokyo's older shrines.
- The procession route passes near the Imperial Palace and Ginza, both easy to combine with sightseeing before or after.
- June in Tokyo is the start of the rainy season; bring a compact umbrella regardless of forecast.
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