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Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

People carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, weighing more than 5,000 pounds through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

People carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, weighing more than 5,000 pounds through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

Parade participants are doused with water as they carry a portable Shinto shrine, called a mikoshi, through the streets of central Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

People carrying a miniature Shinto shrine called a mikoshi are drenched with water during the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri in Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

People carrying a miniature Shinto shrine called a mikoshi are drenched with water during the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri in Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

People carrying a miniature Shinto shrine called a mikoshi are drenched with water during the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri in Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.

People carrying a miniature Shinto shrine called a mikoshi are drenched with water during the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri in Tokyo, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

TOKYO — More than 50 teams carrying portable Shinto shrines weighing thousands of pounds paraded through Tokyo on Sunday in the highlight of one of the city’s biggest summer events.

Drummers played as crowds attending this year’s Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri cheered and doused paraders with water as they lifted and twirled the miniature shrines, also known as mikoshi. The tradition dates to the 1600s.

The celebration continues through Tuesday near Tomioka Hachiman Shrine on the Tozai subway line.

news@stripes.com

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