Sanja Matsuri (三社祭) is one of the three great Shinto festivals of Edo (江戸) and has been celebrated the same way each year since approximately 1605. The name "Sanja" (三社), however, comes from a much earlier period when present day Asakusa Shrine (浅草神社), the center of the festival, used to be called Sanja Daigongen Shrine (三社大権現神社). For this reason some scholars say that the origins of the festival probably date back before the 17th century... [read more, see the video]
