Big Tokyo Summer Festival
Big Tokyo Summer Festival
Overview
In this live stream episode, John Daub finds himself immersed in the heart of one of Tokyo's largest summer festivals, the Torigoe Matsuri (Torigoe Festival). Located in Kuramae, near Asakusa, the event draws massive crowds shoulder-to-shoulder to witness the procession of the omikoshi (portable shrine). John navigates the dense packed streets, providing viewers with a ground-level perspective of the energy, noise, and organization required to manage such a significant religious event.
The video captures the raw atmosphere of a traditional matsuri in modern Tokyo. John highlights the weight and value of the shrine, the dedicated priests and carriers, and the heavy police presence ensuring safety amidst the chaos. Along the way, he encounters eccentric characters like "Laptop Man," jokes about his infamous crow nemesis Toby (crow), and marvels at police officers wielding light sticks resembling lightsabers to control the crowd.
Despite being pinned down by the sheer volume of people, John maintains his characteristic humor and curiosity. He interacts with his live stream audience, acknowledges super chats, and provides commentary on the cultural significance of the event. The stream concludes as the festival winds down, offering a glimpse into the endurance required for both participants and spectators during Tokyo's vibrant summer festival season.
Highlights
- 00:02 John introduces the Torigoe Matsuri, noting it is one of the biggest in Tokyo.
- 15:09 John mentions he hasn't eaten yet due to the crowd density and introduces "Laptop Man."
- 23:31 John jokes about Toby the crow potentially stealing the gold off the shrine.
- 27:19 Explanation of chōchin (paper lanterns) signaling the shrine's approach.
- 36:13 Police officers use light sticks that look like lightsabers to manage the crowd.
- 41:51 John humorously analyzes the police hierarchy using senpai and kohai concepts.
- 49:19 John finally escapes the crowd cage and observes the organized police cleanup.
- 51:08 Closing remarks on the festival ending and public transit still running.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:02 Introduction to Torigoe Matsuri in Kuramae
- 15:09 Crowd density and Laptop Man observation
- 23:31 Shrine movement and Toby the crow jokes
- 27:19 Chōchin lanterns and shrine approach
- 36:13 Police crowd control with lightsabers
- 45:27 Festival winding down and food exploration attempt
- 49:19 Escape from the crowd and police organization
- 51:08 Stream conclusion and sign-off
Japan Travel Tips
- Crowd Management: Major festivals like Torigoe Matsuri can be incredibly dense. Be prepared to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with little room to move.
- Public Transit: Despite the massive crowds, public transit (trains) often continues running during festivals, though stations may be congested.
- Safety: Police presence is heavy and organized. Follow their directions immediately, especially regarding crowd flow and crossing streets.
- Cash: While not explicitly detailed in this stream, festival food stalls typically require cash.
- Timing: Festivals often have breaks where carriers rest. Use these moments to reposition if possible, though space is limited.
- Location: Kuramae is very close to Asakusa, making it easy to combine with a visit to Senso-ji or the Sumida River area.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Matsuri (Festival): Shinto religious festivals often involve processions, music, and food. The Torigoe Matsuri is one of the three major festivals in the Sanja Festival group area.
- Omikoshi (Portable Shrine): Believed to house the spirit of the deity (kami). Carrying it is considered an honor and physically demanding task. John notes this one is considered "gold" and very valuable.
- Chōchin (Paper Lanterns): Often mark the front of a procession. John notes that when these get closer, the shrine is almost there.
- Senpai / Kohai: Senior and junior relationships. John humorously applies this to the police officers managing the crowd.
- Toby (Crow): A running gag in John's streams. He attributes mischievous behavior to a specific crow named Toby, though here he jokes about Toby trying to steal from the shrine.
Food & Drink Guide
- Matsuri Food (Festival Street Food): John mentions there is "lots of food" available near the festival grounds. While specific items aren't named in this stream, typical matsuri fare includes takoyaki (octopus balls), yakisoba (fried noodles), and kakigōri (shaved ice).
- Availability: Food stalls are active during the festival, but accessing them can be difficult due to crowd density. John notes he hasn't eaten yet due to being pinned in the crowd.
People
- John Daub: Host and narrator. Trapped in the crowd but maintaining a positive, humorous demeanor while live streaming.
- Laptop Man: A fellow streamer or serious hobbyist John encounters, equipped with a laptop, camera, cellphone, and batteries.
- Police Officers: Heavily present to manage crowd safety. John jokes about their "lightsabers" (light sticks).
- NZ, Allison, Thomas: Viewers interacting via super chat or comments during the live stream.
- Toby (crow): John's arch-nemesis crow, mentioned humorously as a potential shrine thief.
Key Takeaways
- Tokyo's major festivals are intense, religious, and deeply community-focused events.
- Organization is key; despite the chaos, police and participants manage the flow effectively.
- Live streaming such events offers a unique perspective on the physical density and energy of Japanese crowds.
- Even during massive disruptions like festivals, Tokyo's infrastructure (trains, stores) often remains operational.
Notable Quotes
- 00:02 "Alright, so this is the Torigoe Matsuri, which is one of the biggest in Tokyo, if not the biggest."
- 15:09 "I haven't eaten yet. I can't even move."
- 23:31 "Toby lives in Southern California, he's probably asleep because he'd probably like, you know, go and do something bad to that shrine or something unholy."
- 36:13 "Wow, lightsabers. Lightsabers. Awesome. Who are they going to smash with those lightsabers?"
- 41:51 "Who's the senpai and the kohai? Who's the dark side? The emperor?"
- 49:19 "Oh, I'm free! Free to walk the streets. I was on the other side of that, now I'm free. I know what it's like to be caged."
Related Topics
- Sanja Matsuri
- Asakusa Travel Guide
- Tokyo Summer Events
- Japanese Police Crowd Control
- Omikoshi Traditions
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #tokyo #travel #kuramae #torigoe-matsuri #summer-festival #omikoshi #live-stream #crowds #police #asakusa #john-daub #matsuri #japan-culture
Full Transcript
00:02 John Daub: Alright, so this is the Torigoe Matsuri, which is one of the biggest in Tokyo, if not the biggest. They're taking a break because this is too heavy. So they're taking a break and when they're finished with the break, they're going to continue with the festival. You can see it's very valuable, this shrine. It's considered to be gold. So the police are protecting it and the police are here. And John is not inside the shrine. I saw that comment. John is down here in a crowd of people, standing shoulder to shoulder with a million people. Nice baseball cap. So this is Kuramae, which is very close to Asakusa.
15:09 John Daub: Thank you NZ for the super chat. I haven't eaten yet. I can't even move. Those are the priests in the back. I've got this on a stick on the DJI Osmo, so it's sort of balanced pretty good. It's really tight in here as you can see. There's my hand. I can hardly move here. It's a very important religious festival. And behind me there's lots of food. He's going to be coming back. This is Laptop Man. He's very serious about his live streaming.
20:37 John Daub: So they're taking a break again. Once again, it's very, very heavy. He does have a gangster hat on. I don't want to mess with him. I'll let him do whatever he's doing. I'm not even going to make fun of him because he's too close. You never know what he's packing, besides a laptop and a camera and a cellphone and a bunch of batteries. Alright, I'm now going to pan over. They're going to start again and make their way once again past us. I'm going to give you a bird's eye view here. It's almost like I'm shooting like a bird.
23:31 John Daub: The city of Tokyo is one of the world's major cities and this just happens to be one of the city's biggest summer festivals, if not all festivals for all seasons. So you can see people on the roof. So this is a very important religious festival, that's what the point is. Toby lives in Southern California, he's probably asleep because he'd probably like, you know, go and do something bad to that shrine or something unholy. That's what Toby does, he's a menace to society. Let's not focus on him. So it's going to be coming back, just give it a second. Toby the crow, that's right, probably you know swoop down and steal the gold off that thing and then just something bad. I don't even want to think about Toby, Toby the crow. Toby (crow), look, I'm all upset now. Toby's inside the shrine? Toby's not inside the shrine. They wouldn't be celebrating Toby unless he's inside, they're just shaking him up maybe.
25:39 John Daub: It's quite far away but you can see that they are moving the portable shrine. They're going to be coming back now, there's some talk. They're very serious about this festival. They're still a little bit far down there but they're going to be coming back. So when they get back close again, you're going to get a better view of this shrine. If you're just joining now, I'm in Kuramae which is near Asakusa in Tokyo and this is Tokyo's biggest festival, this is the end of it anyways.
27:19 John Daub: Not who you think they are, they live in this local area. Nice legs. All right, they're coming back now. There's some coppers. Allison, don't even write it. Here they come. So those lanterns are called chōchin (paper lanterns). And the chōchin are getting closer so that means the portable shrine is almost here. Uh oh, someone's filming with an iPhone. He said not to worry, that it's going to be coming really close to us in a minute. I wasn't really worried. Alright, stick with it a little bit longer. It's going to be coming closer now. Here it comes. Boy, they got the best view up there. I really can't even move down here. There's a lot of people. I'm sure they're having a good time.
30:24 John Daub: It's hard to move even though it's right over me. Alright, here they come. I'm still in there. They're not yelling my name. The public transit is still running. All services are still running. Stores are still open. The train is coming this way. We've gone inside. Not Toby, it's God. Police are pushing us in.
36:13 John Daub: From now on, we're going in. Police are getting into it. Wow, lightsabers. Lightsabers. Awesome. Who are they going to smash with those lightsabers? Here they come. These are Jedi. I wonder if those two should go at it. I'd pay for that. They're sick. Whoa, he's got the lightsaber under his arm. Check that out. Whoa. He put the lightsaber under his arm.
41:51 John Daub: All right, they're coming back for one more time. We've been streaming for a long time, but they're going to come back for one more time, so I guess I'll just keep streaming. That might be me making lightsaber sounds. Oh my God. It's a power pose. Oh my God. Who do you think's in charge? Who do you think's the chief? Who's the senpai and the kohai? Who's the dark side? The emperor? The empire? I guess the police would be the empire, right? They're not rebels. Honestly, they should do something. Ah, he really put it away. Did you see that? You can make them, you can put them inside the handle. They really are like lightsabers. Did you see that, he put it away. Push the button and make it pop out again. They're gonna do it one more time. He is a master, a light stick master.
44:11 John Daub: So they're taking a break and resting up for the final push to the shrine. It's a beautiful, beautiful evening here in Tokyo. I don't think he's gonna hit me over the head, Thomas. I don't think it would hurt that much. Well, it depends how hard he hit me. I can run pretty fast. Look, I mean, he's put the lightsaber under his arm. It's pretty cool. Where do you buy those things? And this guy's got a blinky vest. He's one of those satellites that the Empire jettisons out. So maybe we can get one. He is a pro.
45:27 John Daub: There's so many people here. All right. Most people are going home. I think it's over. Those are staying tuned. I can take you out and look at some food. But it looks like they're going to be busy. I'm gonna go for one more. I'm gonna pee. Wait a minute, I'm gonna go. About 10 meters. There's just so many people here. They're starting the festival again. I'm gonna go back. I just wanted to take you and show you that there really is a lot of food.
47:21 John Daub: Whenever you walk around with a camera and you take a selfie stick, people notice you. I just sort of got attacked by some dude. I'm going in for one last... I don't even know what they call the carry of the omikoshi (portable shrine). Hold on a second. Has it started? There's a lot of people left. The area's getting a lot... Is it over? It's over. Looks like it's over. It is over. I can't get in. It's still there. Look, they're all in. It's over. I guess it's over. There you go. What do you think? Nice legs, huh? It's definitely over.
49:19 John Daub: Oh, I'm free! Free to walk the streets. I was on the other side of that, now I'm free. I know what it's like to be caged. Look at all these free people. The first thing they do, they might run out of there. The coppers are coming, really well organized here. Everybody stand up and rage. Well, where they gone? Rated? They've really plowed down that dude, you see that? Whoa, there's a lot of food. This is not a place that you want to break the law. Someone want to jaywalk? Telling me to get on the side. Some jaywalkers like to get whistled. That's right, get on the other side.
51:08 John Daub: Alright, time to go back. Okay, so thanks everybody for tuning in to this live stream of the festival, Tokyo's biggest summer festival. It's over. This isn't exactly the live stream I was gonna bring you today but what I wanted to show you is a little bit closer to Asakusa anyways. I could do that another time. It just seems that it just happened that this festival is going out at the same time. So wherever you are in the world, good night, have a good evening, thanks for watching.