Tsushima no Miya Festival

There is an island, a shrine, and a station that is only open for a short festival each year. For two days this shrine, and the tiny Tsu island on which it sits, see around 10,000 people come and go. They come for the shrine and the summer festival. The bridge to the shrine opens early and closes late, and people come in droves throughout the day. Most people are families with children, who are brought to be blessed by the priests. Many charms are for sale as well. Back across the bridge on the mainland, the streets are lined with colorful stalls serving all the local favorite festival foods. There are games and drinks as well, and on the night of the fourth, there is a great big firework show. The station, 津島ノ宮駅 (つしまのみやえき), is also famous for train otaku fans who love to take pictures and save their tickets for their collections.