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Torikoe Jinjya(Shito Shrine) Night Festival is famous for "Sengan Mikoshi," a big portable shrine. It was customary that the festival was held on June 9, but, in the present, the portable shrine is paraded on the nearest Sunday to June 9 due to transportation situations. The year 2006 was the 85th anniversary of the foundation of "Mutsumi-kai," a group responsible for carrying out the festival, and 21 portable shrines from 23 towns participated in the festival. Lanterns, on which names of each town were written, were attached to each portable shrine. The names of towns were also vividly written on backs of happi coats. On the last day of the festival, "Sengan Mikoshi(portable shrine)" departed from Torikoe Shrine at 6:30 a.m., and spent all day to proceed through parishioners' towns as it was welcomed at each town. In the early evening, when it grew dim, lanterns, attached to the "Sengan Mikoshi", were lit, and the festival came to a climax "Miyairi," in which the portable shrine was carried back to the shrine by Mutsumi-kai. The movements of the portable shrine, which proceeded with wavering lantern lights in the dark while being observed by many spectators, were the highlight of the festival. The scene has been a seasonal tradition in the downtown. The festival and all the other related things have been organized by "Ujiko Keishinkai" and "Torikoe Shrine Jyu-hakka-cho Mutsumi-kai" and have been also supported by parishioners. The tradition has been handed down from generation to generation. (Torigoe, Taito City)
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