The Tokyo Jidai Matsuri is a parade that traces cultural history, including in part, in relation to the Asakusa Temple (Sensoji). The story of the Temple begins in 628 when two fishermen find a golden statue of the Buddha in the Sumida river, and thus a temple was built to house it. During the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Sensoji was designated a place of worship.
Ariwara no Narihira was a Japanese waka poet and aristocrat. Although he belonged to noble lineage, Narihira was not raised to a higher rank within the court, supposedly because of his scandalous love affairs. — Wikipedia
Preceding the platform float carrying the character of Narihira are women in flowing veils.
The binzasara is a traditional Japanese percussion instrument used in folk songs, rural dances and kabuki theater. The instrument is made of pieces of wood plates strung together with a cotton cord. It is played by moving them like a wave. — Wikipedia
For information on the interesting characters on parade at the Tokyo Jidai Matsuri, please see Philbert Ono’s PhotoGuide website: Japan in Pictures: Tokyo Jidai Matsuri
Mito Komon, whose real name is Mito Mitsukuni (1628-1700), was the Lord of a feudal clan in Mito (his official rank was Chunagon, also called Komon).* In a Japanese television drama series, Mito Komon travels with two samurai retainers and rights the wrong that comes his way.
* Mito Komon (This website plays music; so if you are at the office or in a public setting, you might want to mute the sound).
During the Edo Period (1603-1867), the Sankin Kotai was a system established by the Tokugawa Shogunate (started by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1635), to prevent its subordinate feudal lords from rising in rebellion. By obliging the daimyo lords to travel back and forth between their domains and Edo, the Shogunate aimed at weakening their financial power. — Japan National Tourism Organisation
The feudal lord’s procession included the lord in his palanquin, his family, servants, samurai warriors, a band of musicians, and baggage carriers — a costly trip indeed.
The Tokugawa Shogunate (also known as the Edo period), lasted from 1603 (Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa Shogun) until 1867, when the last Shogun (Tokugawa Yoshinobu) was defeated in a military uprising by feudal lords. Political power shifted to the Emperor in 1868. Edo was renamed Tokyo.
