Night Festival at Tokyo Museum Opens with a Bang; Taiko Drumming, Traditional Crafts Drawing in Crowds

By Kenneth Valencich / The Japan News

16:26 JST, August 28, 2024

The doors of the Kuromon gate creaked open and visitors came rushing into the grounds of the Tokyo National Museum in Taito Ward on Tuesday night. Guests had just enough time to get a snack and find a good spot for watching taiko drummers give an energetic performance.

Night Festival at the Tokyo National Museum is being held in conjunction with the ongoing special exhibition of treasures from Kyoto’s 1,200-year-old Jingoji temple, titled “Jingoji: The Dawn of Shingon Buddhism.” One of the organizers said, “We are hoping to draw attention to the exhibition so that many people will be able to learn about the temple’s cultural properties and historical significance.”

The sound of the taiko resounded through the grounds, but most of the visitors gathered as close to the stage as they could manage for the 20-minute show. Members of the Amanojaku taiko performance group moved dynamically and went through the entire show looking ecstatic.

Between the first and second performance, there was enough time to see the other attractions.

The food trucks included Japanese festival staples like takoyaki, yakisoba and yakitori. The shooting game was particularly popular, with people lining up for a chance.

The tables for painting wind chimes, daruma and masks were often surrounded by people putting their own spin on traditional Japanese items. A group of kamishibai picture storytellers were entertaining guests in front of the museum’s Heiseikan, with children excitedly calling out answers to their questions. For those who ventured into the museum, there were additional cultural activities, like calligraphy or painting uchiwa fans.

The Jingoji exhibition and the main hall of the museum were both open for people to wander through and take in the beautiful and historical items within.

For the final performance of the night, Amanojaku took to the stage again for a few more songs, including a shishimai lion dance. The lion dashed into the crowd and nibbled on people’s heads for good luck as the audience roared with cheers and laughter.

The stage will show many other groups across the remaining days of the festival, and it will be especially busy on Aug. 30 and 31 with multiple groups performing. The organizer said, “I hope that visitors will be able to return home with a special feeling of having experienced the fun of Japanese festivals” and that it would help visitors gain a deeper interest in Japanese culture.

◇◇◇

For information on the performance groups, the schedule and other information about the festival, see the event website at https://yab.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/tohaku-ennichi/  

Night Festival at Tokyo National Museum runs until Sept. 1 and will be open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night. The hours will extend to 10 p.m. on Aug. 30 and 31.

Note: Due to the developing Typhoon No. 10, the event schedule may be impacted, including the possibility of cancelation.