First Time Carrying a Mikoshi — An American Football Player Joins Tokyo's Sanno Festival

He thought he wouldn't fit in. By the end of the day, he was carrying the front of the mikoshi. Koki, a former college American football player, joins Tokyo's Sanno Festival — one of the three great festivals of Edo, held since the 1600s — to carry a mikoshi (portable shrine) for the very first time with the Kyobashi Sanchome neighborhood team. From learning the footwork, to his first lift, to the lead position called the "hana" — this is what it takes, and what it feels like, to join a real Japanese neighborhood festival. ⛩ What's in this video: 00:00 Highlights 00:11 Meet Koki 01:01 Getting dressed 01:14 Footwork lesson 01:37 First carry 02:18 Interview: "It feels just like football" 03:15 The front pole 03:52 Lunch break with the team 04:25 The "hana" — the very front 04:51 A day to remember Japan's festivals aren't just for watching — they welcome newcomers. If you've ever wanted to experience one from the inside, this is what it looks like. 🎌 Subscribe for real Japanese festival culture, from the inside:    / @ikijapanculture   #mikoshi #SannoFestival #JapaneseFestival