Year-End Tori-no-Ichi Festival Underway in Tokyo

TaiwanPlus News

The historic Tori-no-Ichi festival marking the waning of the year is on again in Tokyo. This year, some festival-goers looking for luck have politics and tensions with China on their minds. But everyday concerns—prayers for wealth and happiness in the new year—are always the big draw.

Transcript

00:00It's an exciting time of year in Tokyo's Asakusa area.

00:05Every November, the local Ōtori Shrine hosts the historic Torinoichi Festival, a time to

00:10pray for success in the fast approaching New Year.

00:14To rake in good fortune in the year ahead, worshippers here buy actual rakes decorated

00:19with symbols that reflect their hopes for the future.

00:22Some of those buying the lucky decorations this year are looking ahead to 2026 with

00:26current events in mind.

00:28Japan's just got its first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae.

00:33She's deeply conservative, but a change is a change.

00:37And some shoppers here hope things go smoothly.

00:41There are always people who push back whenever things change, so I think it's inevitable that

00:46there's so much noise about her taking office.

00:49As for what I hope for, I'm still in my 20s, so I just want things to become easier, so

00:54that our generation, and our children's generation, can live well in the future.

00:59But Japan's also grappling with tensions with China.

01:02Takaichi is well disposed towards Taiwan.

01:05Before she became prime minister, she even visited Taiwan and met with President Lai Qingde.

01:11But China claims Taiwan, and says it will take it by force if it has to.

01:16When Takaichi recently said a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military

01:20response, Beijing was furious.

01:23It's held military drills in the Yellow Sea, and put on economic pressure, too, with bans

01:28on Japanese seafood.

01:30Some people are concerned.

01:31In the end, I am worried about the prime minister's remarks.

01:36China has gotten really tense because of them.

01:38Creating that kind of situation, I feel like one remark really changed things.

01:42It's really difficult.

01:43But this hasn't dampened the mood for everyone.

01:46Some say they trust Takaichi to guide Japan through the spat with China.

01:49I believe Prime Minister Takaichi will do what she needs to do, so I trust her.

01:56And I hope that Japan-China relations will gradually move in a better direction.

02:02And as people who come to buy lucky rakes do so for money or a happy household, geopolitics

02:07takes a backseat, as people mark the ebbing of one year and the approach of a fresh start

02:13in a new one.

02:14Devon Tsai and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended