Atagoyama

Current Address: Minato-ku, Atago
Description: A 26m elevation hill at present day Minato Ward Atago 1 chome. The slope features the steeply inclined stone steps "otokozaka" and the more gentle "onnazaka", and it was a popular spot for moon viewing and other activities because it overlooked Edo and Shibaura. In addition, the unique festival with original customs "Gohanshiki" which was carried out on January 3rd of each year, was a very famous event in Edo. The ceremony would be signaled to start by the "Bishamon-no-tsukai" (servant of Bishamon) tolling a bell, whereupon 3 participants would then go down the otokozaka steps, enter the attached Enpuku-ji Temple, then in front of the priests there preparing for a banquet, strike the large cutting board of approximately 2m with a rice scoop and force them to eat their meal, then once the dialogue has been completed, return to the shrine. In addition, the "Bishamon-no-tsukai" is dressed in suou (ceremonial dress of lower-class samurai), and using a large rice scoop as a staff, wear a large sword of over 2m and a wooden pestle, and wear the basket in which the ferns used in Shimekazari (a Shinto decoration of sacred straw festoons hung with strips of white paper) and oranges, etc. were decorated on their head, then serve as the proprietor of a tea stall on the onnazaka steps.