Iriya Asagao festival

Overview

The Iriya Asagao Festival (Iriya Morning Glory Market) is a traditional morning glory market held annually from July 6 to 8 at Iriya Kishimojin (Shingen-ji Temple) and along the surrounding Kototoi-dōri Avenue in Shitaya, Taitō Ward, Tokyo. Originating as an Edo-era tradition that flourished during the Meiji period, it is widely cherished as Tokyo's largest morning glory market, drawing approximately 600,000 visitors and standing as a defining summer tradition of Tokyo's old downtown district.

History

The morning glories of Iriya gained nationwide fame during the late Edo and Meiji periods through "henka asagao" (variant morning glories) cultivated by gardeners throughout the Iriya area. At that time, Iriya was a rural area on the outskirts of Edo that flourished as a production center for garden plants including loofah, gourd, and morning glory. From around 1880 (Meiji 13), morning glory markets began to be held around Iriya Kishimojin, attracting enthusiasts seeking rare and unusual variant morning glories. Following a temporary suspension during World War II, the festival was revived in 1948 (Shōwa 23) through the efforts of the local merchant association and gardening union, and has continued annually on the three days of July 6-8 ever since. The festival is registered as a Designated Intangible Cultural Property of Taitō Ward.

Highlights

During the festival period, approximately 120 morning glory vendors and 100 food and craft stalls line the Kototoi-dōri Avenue, bustling from early morning around 5 a.m. until late at night around 11 p.m. The morning glories on display include traditional large-blossom varieties, the distinctive reddish-brown "Danjūrō," the prized "Danjūrō Black," and rare specimens of variant morning glories, with potted plants available from around 2,000 yen each. Iriya Kishimojin attracts queues of worshippers, and morning glory-motif uchiwa fans, prayer plaques, and amulets are distributed. The local merchant association's food stalls and traditional craft vendors also enjoy great popularity.

Event Details and Access

The venue is Iriya Kishimojin (Shingen-ji Temple, 1-12-16 Shitaya, Taitō Ward, Tokyo) and the surrounding Kototoi-dōri Avenue. Access is approximately 1 minute on foot from Iriya Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, or 7 minutes from Uguisudani Station on the JR Yamanote Line. Admission is free. The festival runs from July 6 to 8, from early morning around 5 a.m. until late at night around 11 p.m.

Surrounding Attractions

The Taitō Ward area, rich in the atmosphere of old Tokyo, offers a concentration of tourism resources for experiencing the city's traditions and history, including Sensōji Temple, Asakusa Shrine, Nakamise-dōri shopping street, the Asakusa Engei Hall, Ueno Park, the Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Zoo, the Yanaka Ginza shopping street, and Yanaka Cemetery. Following the Asagao Festival in early July, the "Hōzuki-ichi" (Chinese Lantern Plant Market) is held at Sensōji Temple on July 9-10, making a consecutive tour of the downtown summer festivals particularly popular among visitors.

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