This is a raucous affair and one of the greatest spectacles in Japan. With a 300-year-old tradition, teams from each of Kishiwada’s 35 neighborhoods compete by manually pulling their four-ton danjiri (wooden float) through the city’s streets.

The most exciting bits are the many yarimawashi (corner turns) that line the route. A mix of control and acceleration is needed to coerce the enormous wooden floats into changing direction quickly at narrow intersections. Chanting float-pullers heave the heavy ropes that stretch out in front of the floats; others operate the levers from behind which break and skid the danjiri.

It’s enthralling, noisy and good fun - but whatever you do, don’t watch from the outside corners of intersections in case the danjiri doesn’t make the turn!

A second version of the festival is held again in mid-October.

Practical Info

Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri