Tori no Ichi Festival 2024 A Night of Perseverance
Tori no Ichi 2024 at Hanazono Shrine should have been a highlight of my week. But exhaustion and overwhelming crowds turned it into a test of perseverance. Amid the chaos and the festive atmosphere, I struggled to capture its magic. Yet, even on nights like these, there are lessons to be learned and stories to share. Here is my imperfect experience.
It was a Friday night and people were out for a good time as you would expect. But I’d been to Rikugien Gardens earlier that evening for its Autumn Light-Up Festival. And before that, I had worked at my regular job. I was already tired. The mental batteries were depleted.
Rikugien is near Komagome Station. Hanazono Shrine is in Shinjuku near Kabukicho’s Yasukuni-dori. Do you know the Don Quijote store in that area? I hope you do. Well, from that point on, the streets were packed with people. Yatai (street stalls) covered the pavement, and people were everywhere else! We moved along at a snail’s pace. I got a little more tired with each step.
Everyone was eating and drinking to their heart’s content. Couples and families were enjoying a night out. There was nothing wrong with that. But I was in a low-energy state. That wasn’t fun. It was more like a perseverance exercise. I didn’t want to go home empty-handed. My goal was the photos, even a few. I stayed and made it to Hanazono.
In the end, I got to the shrine and Tori-no-Ichi. But being at this event on half-power wasn’t fun. The crowd was huge. So many were there to pray. Lines were everywhere. People eating and drinking crammed into every space. And the main business of selling kumade filled into the rest!
I wandered around for about forty-five minutes. Every so often I took a photo. Unfortunately, I did so without much thought. That made it a disappointing night. Anyway, I had enough and turned for home. Rather than battling through the crowd, I took a roundabout route back to the station. It turned out to be the quickest way. If only I had known that in the beginning!
In the end, I learned a valuable lesson. Sometimes we want to give up (for any number of reasons). So you need to make a choice. Go home and take it easy? Or persevere and get photos that mightn’t be ideal? We need to make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. I made my choice and went home with something.
What are Tori-no-Ichi’s kumade?
The star of Tori no Ichi is the kumade (bear’s paw). They are decorative bamboo rakes that help the owner “rake in” good fortune in the following year. As a bonus, they ward off evil.
It may be hard to tell that these ornaments at the festival are rakes. Why? Because the biggest (and most expensive) can have intricate decorations all over them. These might be auspicious symbols, figurines of deities, and traditional Japanese motifs.
Simple and small kumade can cost a few thousand yen. The huge ones can fetch millions of yen. It depends on size and design. Many first-time buyers start small and return each year. Each time they upgrade. They leave the old one at the temple or shrine. Of course, they give a prayer in gratitude.
Each time a sale is made, the vendors perform a clapping ritual. This is not only a show of appreciation, it is a blessing for the buyer. The more expensive the kumade, the more exciting it becomes. Sometimes, you might get a little extra, such as a free cup of sake. Pretty good, huh? Just make sure your wallet is deep!
Conclusion
I’m glad I went even though I didn’t get great photos. But I hate to quit a shoot once I start. Going home empty-handed is a (personal) crime for me. So if you have been curious about what a Tori no Ichi looks like you now have some idea. I’ll do a better job next year (I hope!). Sometimes you need to keep on persevering.
For more festival articles, look at:
External related website:
- Hanazono Shrine (official website)