Thirty-six Views of the Pride of Edo-Tori no ichi, a fair held on the day of Rooster, a Famous Rake (Edo Jiman Sanjūrokkyō Tori no Chō Meibutsu Kumade)
Painted by Utagawa Toyokuni III and Utagawa Hiroshige II 1864 (Genji 1) Tokyo Shiryō Collection 3391-C33ア

This is an illustration of the Tori no ichi Festival that took place on the day of the Rooster in the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. A man on the right of the picture holds as good omens in his right hand a rake attached with a mask of a plump-faced woman to call for fortune and holds a tuber of a taro to be ahead of others with his left hand.


Tori no ichi (Rooster's Market) Festival had its origins as an event where farmers nearby Ōtori Shrine, which was located in flower fields in the Edo outskirts (Adachi Ward), dedicated kumade (rakes). However, the fields were quite far from Edo and people came to gather at the Tori no ichi of Shitaya's Ōtori Shrine (Ryuzen, Taitō Ward) which was also known as Shintori (New Rooster).
As can also be seen in this illustration, objects of good fortune such as kumade, tuber of taros are indispensible. Even today, beginning with Asakusa, Tori no ichi takes place in all areas throughout the Kantō region and you should be able to see many vendors of kumade.
Also, in Yoshihara, it was only in Tori no ichi of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar that the gate was opened and passage was permitted to the general public. Such was the importance of Tori no ichi as one of the annual events for the people of Edo.

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