The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri, held every September since 1703, is famous throughout Japan for the raw speed and danger of its danjiri — heavy oak festival floats weighing up to 4 tonnes — which are pulled at a run through tight corners of the old castle town. The most thrilling moment is the yarimawashi corner turn, where teams use ropes and sheer force to swing the float around a 90-degree bend at speed. Daring young men ride the roof of the moving float, performing acrobatic poses. The festival spans two days and draws over half a million spectators.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Autumn
- Month
- Mid-September
- Region
- Kansai
- Prefecture
- Osaka
- City
- Kishiwada
Highlights
- ◆4-tonne danjiri floats hauled at full sprint through narrow streets
- ◆Heart-stopping yarimawashi sharp-corner turning manoeuvre
- ◆Acrobatic performers riding the roofs of moving floats
- ◆300-year-old tradition rooted in prayers for good harvest
- ◆Over 500,000 spectators across two festival days