Singing and dancing in the Tokyo rain

Elderly drummers perform with youthful zeal. Picture / Jim Eagles

This must be the cheeriest of religious festivals. Even though it's pouring with rain everyone seems to be grinning. I can't stop smiling myself.

This is the rainy season, but the organisers of the Sanno Matsuri festival - in the grounds of Tokyo's Hie-jinja Shinto shrine - have had the forethought to organise a marquee and a series of tarpaulins, so the downpour scarcely matters.

On the contrary, by forcing everyone to gather in the marquee, with its strings of red lanterns and toe-tapping music, the deluge outside adds to the camaraderie. As far as I can see I'm the only foreigner and they seem delighted to have a visitor.

Almost as soon as I arrive a jolly salaryman in a suit and tie comes up, gestures at the dance area which is the focal point of the occasion, and with a huge grin says, "Please. Please. You. You."

I smilingly decline but a few minutes later he's back with a white scarf with red lettering in Japanese, drapes it ceremonially round my neck, and with an even bigger grin and an even more enthusiastic wave at the dance area, repeats, "Please. Please".

I'm happy to wear the scarf - I brought it home with me - but despite the welcoming atmosphere I'm reluctant to join the dancing, which seems to be the point of the festival. The movements look extremely complicated and I fear my clumsy efforts would destroy whatever spiritual effect is being achieved.

Much better to watch the ritual as it unfolds. At the top of a small tower in the middle of the dance area drummers take turns to energetically beat out a rhythm (I suspect the rest of the music comes from a CD player hidden behind the tower but I'd rather not confirm that because it doesn't really fit the romance of the occasion).

Two of the drummers are elderly men who compete with each other in showing off, spinning round as they hit the drum, tossing their sticks, and striking dramatic poses ... until one of them drops his stick and, amid much friendly mockery, has to climb down to rescue it.

Dancers circle the tower on two levels, some on a metre-high platform and the rest at ground level, walking gracefully in time to the music while performing a series of intricate hand movements.

Most of the dancers wear traditional robes but others look as if they have come straight from the office and dance in their suits.

Around the tower they go - dancing serenely in a pattern which is hundreds of years old - even though rain is starting to trickle across the dancefloor.

The festival is one of the most important in Japan. It originated in 1478 and, these days at least, focuses on prayers for peace in Tokyo.

Lonely Planet Best of Tokyo says there is a festival - or matsuri - like this somewhere in the city pretty well every day.

They originate from the days when Japan was a rural society and villagers would gather to placate the gods, ensure a plentiful harvest, drink a lot of saki and have a riotous time.

Hie-jinja dates back to 830 and is primarily dedicated to the god Oyamakui-no-kami, who is believed to protect against evil.

But the shrine also features statues of a female monkey who takes a particular interest in the welfare of pregnant women. She seems to view the festivities with a vague air of disapproval but that doesn't appear to bother anyone.

I suspect the true object of the exercise is just to have fun, and the participants certainly seem to be doing that.

The atmosphere is like that of a school gala. Rows of stalls sell food and drink, knick-knacks and handcrafts to those gathered to watch the dancing.

From time to time dancers break off for a beer or one of the strange Japanese soft drinks. I buy a small bottle of saki - it contains 1.5 cups, the label says - for 150 ($2).

The range of food is amazing. Doughy balls with octopus in the middle, beef teriyaki on skewers, fried squid, fried noodles - all very tasty - at 500 ($6) a time.

An elderly chap with half his teeth missing is selling chocolate-coated bananas on sticks. Can I take his photo? I ask through my guide.

The response is a cheeky grin and a chuckle. "He says yes - if you buy one." At only 90 ($1) I think I can manage that. The photo turns out quite well and the banana is nice as well. A good investment.

The drumbeating and dancing continues without a break, more dancers turning up all the time, until the dance area is thronged with people.

Another 1.5 cups of saki and I start to feel I could almost give the dancing a try. The friend who gave me the scarf is sitting at a table nearby also sipping saki and he gives me a friendly nod.

But my guide is anxious to avoid a late night and persuades me to leave.

On the way out the monkey goddess is looking more benign so I toss a lucky 5 coin into the offering grate, ring the temple bell and ask her to keep an eye on my elder daughter, who is pregnant.

* Jim Eagles travelled as guest of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Further Information
Japanese tourist information offices have information on festivals, or you can look at www.visitjapan.com and www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp (see links below).