A Japanese Local Community Event With A Small Shrine: What Does It Look Like?

In Japan, Shinto shrines and temples are everywhere, and we can find them in almost every few blocks. Their events are actually more like traditional customs rather than religious activities. People hold seasonal events and festivals at shrines and temples, in a sense these shrines and temples often work as a community center for local people.

Traditional seasonal events/festivals with major big shrines and temples are usually famous and many tourists visit to see these events. However, originally seasonal events/festivals were just local community activities, and we can still find the original style at some tiny local shrines and temples.

What do these old-fashioned local community events look like? There are many styles, but I'd like to introduce an example from West Tokyo area today.

The photos above are showing annual Spring Festival of a very small local shrine in Hachioji City, Tokyo. The shrine is tiny and there is no resident priest. However once in a while local people and priests get together there and enjoy community activities such as seasonal festivals.

Even though I said these are seasonal festival photos they probably look very different from famous festivals which always have many tourists. There are no stalls selling food and drinks. Since it is a very small local event, people don't invite stalls, just bring food and drinks there and priests provide some hot pot. It is an 'at-home' event like a 'Spring Party'.

During the festival, some people voluntarily provide performances such as singing songs or playing musical instruments. Last minute volunteers for these performances are also welcomed. It would be a good opportunity for the local professional performers to join the circle of music or dance. 

If you are living in West Tokyo area, and interested in joining this kind of local 'at-home' event, this Spring Festival will be held on April 29th (from 11:00am-3:00pm) this year, so please feel free to join!
The location is Asakawa Kompira Shrine, (address) 1429-285 Hatsuzawa-machi, Hachioji City, Tokyo.
The detailed map is below.