July 1st, 2012 in Tokyo

July 1^st is Canada Day, or well, it is here in Canada. But out of curiosity, what goes on in the rest of the world on this day? Since we have a delegation traveling to three major cities in Japan this summer and they’ll be in Tokyo on July 1^st, this article is going to explore what events or activities will be taking place on this day in Tokyo.

The first event stumbled upon with a simple Google search is the “I Love The 80s and 90s Party!” being held at Cheers Bar (Roppongi, 5-5-1, Roh Building, B-1, Tokyo, 13) from 9:00pm to 5:00am the following Monday. Admission to this even is ￥2000, which included two free drinks of your choice. For more information about this event, you can visit the information page here.

For something more family friendly, Theatre Cocoon in Tokyo will be playing a popular Kabuki titled Tennichibo.

Below is a brief setting of the story, taken from the website containing performance details:

“The story is centered on Hosaku, later to be known as Tennichibo, who heads towards Kamakura posing as the illegitimate child of the Shogun Yoritomo. During this journey, he encounters a thief, Jirai Taro and his wife Oroku and thus the story unfolds his fateful destiny. Full of hopes and dreams and aiming to be conquerors, the young characters battle their way through.”

This plays daily from June 15^th to July 7^th, with the choice of matinees or evening shows (though it’s important to note that not all days have evening shows available, and not all days have matinee shows available). For information on show times and prices for the different seating areas, please see the performance details here.  For more information about the Theatre Cocoon, please click here.

On June 30^th and July 1^st, Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 4 is holding the Tokyo Summer Career Forum 2012, which provides career opportunities for Japanese-English bilinguals. This is the only career forum held in the summer in Japan, and it features many large companies, so, if looking for a career opportunity, it may be worth stopping by. More information can be found here.

While there aren’t any festivals or major events on July 1^st, there are many festivals in Tokyo in July, starting on the 6^th.

July Festivals in Tokyo

Iriya Asagao Matsuri (入谷朝顔まつり)

From July 6^th to July 8^th, the Iriya Asagao Matsuri (入谷朝顔まつり), an event which started in the Edo period, is held, and attracts about 400,000 visitors each year to the Iriya Kishibojin Temple. This festival originated thanks to the reputation of a gardener who grew Japanese morning glories in the early Meiji era. While the festival was halted for a time in the Taisho period, it was reinstated in 1950.

Shitamachi Tanabata Festival (下町七夕まつり)

On the 7^th and 8^th of July, the Shitamachi Tanabata Festival (下町七夕まつり) takes place. It is a star festival that is held on Kappabashi-hon dori street. During this festival people decorate branches of bamboo with strips of paper and write their wishes on them. 

Hoozuki Ichi (ほおずき市)

On the 9^th and 10^th of July is Hoozuki Ichi (ほおずき市) (Ground Cherry/Chinese Lantern Market), during which approximately 250 stalls will be set up to sell wind-bells and hozuki plants within the Sensouji Temple grounds. Some people attend this festival clad in yukatas (cotton, informal kimonos), and it is said that women who pray to the Goddess of Mercy, Kannon, and buy the plants on July 10^th will be blessed with children. 

Sumidagawa River Fireworks Festival (隅田川花火大会)

Finally, on the last Saturday of July, this year July 28^th, the Sumidagawa River Fireworks Festival (隅田川花火大会), one of the largest and most famous fireworks festival in downtown Tokyo, is held. 

The tradition of this festival can be traced back to 1732 when fireworks were launched as part of festivals for the dead, and was originally called Ryougoku Kawabiraki (両国川開き). By 1810, rivalries began to emerge between pyrotechnicians over control of each year’s festival. Two guilds of pyrotechnicians, the Tamaya (玉屋) Kagiya (鍵屋) guilds, quickly became the two major rivals and initiated the tradition of competition. Year after year each guild would try to out-do the other and onlookers began to shout out the names of their favourite firework artist. The tradition survived the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and continued almost every year until it dropped off in the 1920s, and ceased completely during World War II. For several decades after World War II the festival was not held at all, but finally, in 1978, the tradition was reinstated and has continued ever since.

Good spots for viewing the fireworks are along the Sumida River, and sites such as the neighbourhood surrounding Asakusa Station becomes crowded with spectators. 

Websites about festivals: http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/summer_02.html, http://www.tokyo-ryokan.com/festival.htm, http://matsuri.enjoytokyo.jp/hozuki/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumidagawa_Fireworks_Festival, http://www.jal.com/world/en/guidetojapan/city_information/tyo/events/, http://muza-chan.net/japan/index.php/blog/iriya-asagao-ichi-morning-glory-fair