By AKIHIRO TANAKA/ Staff Writer
September 15, 2024 at 12:07 JST
KISHIWADA, Osaka Prefecture--The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, famed for the bravado of its participants, kicked off here at 6 a.m. sharp on Sept. 14.
It marked the start of “Hikidashi,” when 34 danjiri floats from various neighborhoods appeared one after another in front of Kishiwada Station, a stop on the Nankai Electric Railway line, and began racing through the narrow city streets to spirited shouts of “Sorya, Sorya” from spectators.
Each float stands about 4 meters high and weighs around 4 tons.
The participants are renowned for the way they fearlessly challenge tight corners as they haul the massive floats. The maneuver, called “yari-mawashi,” always elicits loud cheers from spectators.
On Sept. 15, the danjiri floats were hauled to three shrines, including Kishikijinja shrine, for “miya-iri,” or “entering the shrine” ceremony.
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A very heavy danjiri float swiftly turns a corner at the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival in Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, on Sept. 14. (Emiko Arimoto)
