Tori no Ichi is an annual event dating back centuries, held to pray for prosperous business and good fortune in the coming year. The Tori no Ichi at Otori Shrine in Asakusa is considered one of the largest in Japan and takes place on the days of the rooster in November in accordance with the traditional lunar calendar. This year, the first Tori no Ichi falls on November 7, and the second on November 19. The festivities begin at midnight with drumbeat and draw large crowds of worshippers throughout the day. The grounds of neighboring Chokokuji Temple, which was once part of the shrine complex, are lined with stalls selling kumade, auspicious bamboo rakes believed to attract good fortune. When a sale is concluded, the lively rhythmic clapping of hands by vendors and customers rings out across the grounds.