Saitama | The Mysterious Ritual of Floating Away Bad Luck at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

Just a half-hour drive from Tokyo, Little Edo Kawagoe has become a popular half-day trip destination for tourists in recent years. Besides Ichiban Street and the Time Bell Tower, which are full of Edo flavor, don't forget to take a stroll to Hikawa Shrine. Love Tai and Yearly Safe Tai, these fun fortune slips that you fish for, are full of charm. There's also the ritual of floating away bad luck with a paper doll. It's said that by blowing three breaths onto the paper doll, you transfer bad things and misfortune to it, and then let it float away in the water, completing the ritual to ward off evil. Every year on the third weekend of October, the Kawagoe Festival is an event not to be missed. It's said to be inherited from the Edo period's 'Tenka Matsuri,' where floats compete with each other. There are also Noh performances at fixed points, countless festival stalls, and don't forget to watch the vertical ladder acrobatics. This fun-filled itinerary is definitely one to keep in mind. 📍Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vrKWQCnUUNh8SwVN7