Senso-ji temple in Tokyo, Japan 27 Aug 2016

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Asakuna, in northern Tokyo, Japan, is famous for its festivals. And its biggest event is the Sanja Matsuri (Three Shrines Festival) held on the third weekend in May. Senso-ji temple, and the roads and sinuous lanes that run around it provide the epicentre for this mammoth four-day spectacle, an important spring event for many Tokyoites. Dozens of intricate portable shrines are carried through the streets by young men and women, with much rough jostling and caterwauling. It is said the shrine gods enjoy being tossed around in this manner, something they get plenty of from the seething, swaying and chanting crowds at Asakusa. Picture opportunities abound as you will spot geisha and yakuza (gang members) sporting full-bodied tattoos – both rare sights in Tokyo these days.

Experience the mystique of Senso-ji temple on Insight Guides' Completely Japan holiday, which takes you there by boat on the Sumida River.

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