One Hundred Famous Views of Edo No.51A procession of the Sanno Shrine Festival about to enter Edo Castle from Kojimachi one chome

Sanno Shrine was originally founded by the warlord Dokan Ota in 1471 was recognized as the guardian deity of Edo castle. The Tokugawa family, who resided in the castle in later years, additionally designated it as their family shrine and therefore raised the status of the shrine and the gods therein. The Tokugawa family would come and venerate the gods, and it became a custom for the family to bring a baby who would inherit the shogunate to be presented to the company of the gods there.
The Sanno Matsuri (“festival”), which was held here in alternating years with a festival at Kanda Shrine, was the most grandiose in Edo city. What amused the commoners most, and was the highlight of the festival, was a procession of 45 festival floats carried by parishioners through the streets of the parish. Three portable shrines carried over the shoulders of men and floats used for dancing also joined. The procession, despite commoners being the main participants, was allowed to enter Edo castle for viewing by the shogun family.
In this print Hiroshige depicts a scene looking from Miyakezaka (“slope”) towards Hanzomon, one of the gates to Edo castle.
On the left is shown the second float of the festival, called Kankodori (“cuckoo”). On the float was placed a doll in formal dress with a cuckoo on its head. The doll holds a drum in one hand and a drumstick in the other. In the distance, the first festival float, Saru (“monkey”), is seen moving up a slope which leads towards Hanzomon. A group of people wearing uniformly decorative hats can be seen at the bottom to the right of the doll. They are participating in the long procession going round the moat of Edo castle.