Tokyo's Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri took place on August 16, 2026, marking the latest iteration of the festival held every three years.
The event centered on the procession of mikoshi, or portable shrines, carried through the streets of the Fukagawa district.
A defining feature of the festival is the tradition of spectators throwing water on the mikoshi bearers to cool them down and purify the procession.
Video footage from the day shows large crowds lining the route, using buckets, garden hoses, and water pistols to drench the participants.
The bearers, dressed in traditional festival attire, continued carrying the heavy shrines through the deluge.
The festival has roots in the Edo period and is one of Tokyo's major Shinto celebrations, associated with Tomioka Hachiman Shrine.
Its triennial schedule means the next full-scale water-throwing edition is not expected until 2029.
The 2026 edition proceeded without reported major incidents, maintaining the event's reputation for chaotic, communal energy.
Tokyo festival turns streets into a giant water fight
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