What‘s Included

What To Expect

Reviews

• Experience Mikoshi Parade in Kichijoji !

  Seaside26752101201,

  Sep 28, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Amazing experience and amazing people. Arriving I was invited by a family friend who offered and help me get a spot into carrying the portable shrine for this festival. And introduced me to Mr Yamamoto who very kindly allowed me to join on such sort notice and got me very traditional clothing everyone in each shrine represent, like a uniform with high honor. Mr. Yamamoto is the planner and coordinator of this event for the city and took great care of me and my Family Friend to show us around and how the event will play out giving maps to were the Portable Shrine was being carried and personally showed us were the start location of the portable shrines were. And I got to see were his shop was at very neat place with all kinds of information pamflets and helpful information to guide people around Japan and proper Japanese edict. So we get to the Portable shrine and I was given towels to use for what I thought for the sweat but no it was for my shoulders to cushion the weight of the Shrine and boy oh boy it was heavy. But very neat to see the combined efforts of everyone around to lift this sacred Shrine and carry it shacking it chanting spreading the good wealth and luck to the stores and shops around. And the music around was so rhythmic and live. All used traditional instruments and was neat seeing the drummers go crazy it was awesome. So we carry the Portabe Shrine to what I believed the fire department them downtown and though the shops all while cheering and chanting and shaking the shrine around timing it's bells I got be able to know some shop owners and they are probly one of the strongest people I know making lifting the portable shrine like it didn't have any weight to it. Truly something to marvel at and we carryed it and got some breaks with tea to drink after carrying the shrine in the hot sun and them back at it again one of the breaks I remember was we stopped on the street and they were offering alcohol and tea and Aquarius. The drinks offered up we're and amazing refreshment. And then back at it again although to my fault I know very little japanese everyone were able to offer hand jesters and communicate when I could take a break and when to step I'm when someone else needed a break and what chant to say and very much encouragement to keep on going. And at the end they set the portable shrines at the center of town and line them up and gather around to thank the sponsors and coordinators of the event and all the whole music is being played and performances being showed. and then they marched away with the Portable shrines and that was the end of it I got to say my goodbyes and thanks to my family friend and Mr. Yamamoto and all the people coordinating this wonderful event and festival that lasts two days! And the Shrine Carriers the strongest people of Japan man they are professionals. I highly recommend this event to participate in but if not is truly a spectical to see.

  

  

  

  

• Wonderful, lifetime experience as a mikoshi carrier - do not miss it!

  yu take,

  Sep 25, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I participated for the mikoshi carrier experience on 13th Sept 2025. Prior to the day, any queries I had were promptly answered within 24 hours. I was happy that the representative (who was one of my guides on the day) was helpful in answering any queries I had. I was met with two guides (who are Kichijoji locals) at the meeting place on the day and they were so nice and helpful throughout the whole time we were together. They explained about the Kichijoji Matsuri. There are 10 districts in the town (and each has their own mikoshi) and there is a shrine mikoshi (which is the main shrine for the matsuri/festival). This autumn festival is to show the gods/goddesses of people's appreciation for the good, bountiful harvest. I was also shown other cultural aspects of the matsuri. For example, how shrine donations are offerred by locals/mikoshi carriers during the matsuri through their districts. I was surprised as I have been to other matsuri in Japan and I didn't know about it. After explaining about the matsuri by my guides, I was guided to the office of the district (Daiyagai) which I will join their mikoshi parade. The matsuri attire that was loaned by the district: T-shirt, pants, traditional Japanese shoes, hanten (coat) and obi (belt). The plan was for me to join the Daiyagai team who will be carrying the shrine mikoshi and their own district's mikoshi. If I do get tired halfway through the the mikoshi parade, I can make the call to end my mikoshi carrier experience early and my guides will take me around Kichijoji town and show me interesting places in the town. I know that being a mikoshi carrier is a 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience and this is my first time coming to Japan in September (I never do so in previous Japan trips due to the weather, but I came this time for sumo). It is also a fact that for most mikoshi matsuri in Japan, the mikoshi carriers usually consist of the town locals. So, I was really happy when I saw this rare experience being offered for anyone who is not residing in Kichijoji town. In the end, I actually completed both of the mikoshi's parade with the team. Even though it was warm and tiring, it was so much fun. I really enjoyed the matsuri spirit with the Daiyagai team and the matsuri spirit was so "addictive" that I didn't stop until the end. The other reason that my experience was so enjoyable was the mikoshi expert who was introduced me by my guides. The mikoshi expert taught me what I needed to know and do as a mikoshi carrier and he guided me throughout the whole mikoshi parades. So, the mikoshi expert had previously joined the Daiyagai team in previous years as a mikoshi carrier and he enjoyed it so much that he comes back every year. To see that someone who is not from Kichijoji town and how warmly he has been accepted by the Daiyagai team is really nice and reassuring. Because it shows how accommodating and kind this Daiyagai team really is. Everyone in the team was really kind and nice to me throughout the whole time that I was with them as a mikoshi carrier and made me feel like I was one of them. I also met with the district leader during this experience and he is a really kind and nice person. I personally thanked him for giving me this experience and I told him how much I have enjoyed it. After the mikoshi parade ended and I returned my mikoshi attire, my guides continued to provide me with more information on the matsuri and showed me interesting places in Kichijoji. I was also given an information pack that consists the information on the matsuri and the mikoshi parade routes that I have completed with the Daiyagai team. We later sat down and chatted at a nearby restaurant. I enjoyed our chats because it was as if we have known each other for a long time. Both of my guides took photos and videos of me during the whole mikoshi carrier experience. I was thankful for that as this was my solo trip and I really wanted to have memories of this experience. We even joked about how it was as if they were both my parents who were busy taking photos of me (their kid) on my first mikoshi carrier experience. It could be true as both of them are in the same age group as my parents, and I was the same age group as their own kids. It was really cute and funny to think of it that way. Overall, this is a really wonderful experience for me, and I was really happy and grateful to the people of Kichijoji (Daiyagai district team), my guides and the mikoshi expert in making this a memorable experience for me. They took me under their wings and made me feel I was one of them. I was told by my guides that they provide this experience every year. So, please give it a try if you want to have the true Japanese matsuri experience! I have been on both sides of a Japanese matsuri now (i.e. a spectator and a mikoshi carrier), and nothing beats being a mikoshi carrier!

• Participation deepens understanding

  Compass02008373379,

  Sep 15, 2024

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  It was my first time visiting this town, but the local people welcomed me warmly, making me feel at home. The tour guide was knowledgeable and explained the highlights of the town in great detail. I highly recommend you to join as well!