mikoshi
Kunchi: The major Japanese festival most Japanese people don’t know about
-
Master Blaster
Oct 20, 2025 - Tweet
- Japan
- (COK • culture • dance • dragons • events • festivals • Kunchi • mikoshi • Nagasaki • Nagasaki City • Nagasaki Prefecture • Niwasaki Mawari • Okunchi • SNJO • Suwa Shrine • torimono)
What it’s really like to join a Japanese festival and carry a mikoshi around Tokyo for a day
-
Oona McGee
Jun 14, 2019
We join the festivities at Suga Shrine, made famous as one of the real-life locations from the hit anime film Your Name.
- Japan
- (COK • culture • festivals • Japanese festivals • mikoshi • sightseeing • SNOJ • Tokyo • tourism • tradition • traditional Japan • travel)
Another festival season and summer is coming to an end. The dragonflies are out and the days are getting shorter, which means fall will soon be upon us.
But before the fireworks fizzle away and the festival food stalls have packed up for good this year, one area in Japan decided to go out with a bang and surprise festival-goers with superb portable shrine, or mikoshi, recreations of some of Japan’s most popular characters, including one famous red mobile suit from the anime classic Gundam.
- Japan
- (anime • festivals • floats • Japanese tradition • mikoshi • Mobile Suit Gundam • Shiobara Onsen • Tochigi Prefecture • Zaku)
The most crowded place in Tokyo? Might be the Kanda Matsuri festival, but it’s still awesome
-
Casey Baseel
May 13, 2015
Even in a city as packed with people as Tokyo, some places, and times, are more crowded than others. So when and where can you find the largest, densest mass of humanity? Some would say the Yamanote loop line during the morning rush hour. Others would vote for Shibuya’s scramble crosswalk intersection on a Saturday night.
But before you go awarding the crown to either of those two candidates, take a look at the massive crowds that came out for the Kanda Matsuri festival last weekend.
-
Recent Posts
- Is Daiso’s microwave Japanese rolled omelet maker worth your time and money? [Taste test]
- Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
- Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
- Exclusive Super Mario Yoshi figure to be given away at Dodgers Stadium [Video]
- Japan has a cute Pokémon menu you probably don’t know about yet
MOST POPULAR
Now
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Is Daiso’s microwave Japanese rolled omelet maker worth your time and money? [Taste test]
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Pikachu and Eevee become handmade Lladró porcelain sculptures to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th birthday
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo adds exclusive drinks to the menu for autumn
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
10 great quirky museums to beat the Japan rainy season blues
Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free
Weekly
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]
Monthly
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Pikachu and Eevee become handmade Lladró porcelain sculptures to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th birthday
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo adds exclusive drinks to the menu for autumn
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
10 great quirky museums to beat the Japan rainy season blues
Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free
Is Japan’s new pudding ice cream bar too much deliciousness to handle? 【Taste test】
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Pokémon Colors interactive digital art exhibit returns this summer, makes first stop in Yokohama
Step aside, Hachiko! Yamaguchi’s Cat Temple offers a samurai tale of feline fealty
Is this Tokyo government office still one of the best places in the city for a curry rice lunch?
Don’t forget that the best convenience store in northern Japan has branches farther south too
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Free Pokémon-catching mini game with all 151 Kanto Pokémon added to Google searches!
Burgers soaked in a plate of hot cheese served at American Diner Andra in Tokyo
-
Categories
Archives



