Kishiwada Danjiri Festival

Kishiwada Danjiri Festival started in 1703 when the feudal lord of Kishiwada, Okabe Nagayasu offered prayers at Fushimi Inari-taisha in Kyoto to Shinto gods for plentiful harvest. Kishiwada Danjiri Festival in Osaka began as a festival with offerings to Inari, the fox god f harvest. Tourists throng Japan to take part in the colorful celebrations of Kishiwada Danjiri Festival. The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is also called 'The Fighting Festival' renowned for its colorful Danjiri floats . The festival from the very beginning enjoyed local support. Gates usually prohibiting people to enter ushered them in during the festival. The people of Kishiwada regard this festival as an intrinsic part of their lives.

Features of Kishiwada Danjiri Festival in Osaka:

• People gather at the Kishiki Shrine in Kishiwada City.
• 30 ornately decorated floats are used in the festival. The Danjiri are made of fine pieces of Japanese wood zelkova which is taken from Osaka and its neighboring areas. The wood is dried for two years. It is intricately carved by proficient workers exhibiting scenes of Japanese life. The wheels however are not as strong and have o be changed during the festival. The portable shrine of wheels is beautifully decorated with religious deities.
• The floats are designed to move swiftly. The energetic pulling of the floats is the main highlight of this festival. People galore watch excitedly the danjiri moving at great speed along narrow roads and streets. This is called Hiki-dashi.
• An exhilarating experience awaits the people tide of crowds who gather to watch the floats turn in right angles. This corner turning is also called Yar-Mawashi.
• At times the floats bang into large houses making for a dramatic sight.
• The existing danjiri are fine examples of art.
• If two contending danjiri bump into each other, then the people will contend to strike the floats against one another. Due to this interesting feature of the festival, it is also called ‘The Fighting Festival'. Although the intensity of the fighting has been repressed of late by the police, but an electrifying atmosphere is still noticed with much nail biting camaraderie in this race of endurance and celebration.
• Tourists can also visit the Kishiwada Danjiri Hall which provides an insight into the history of the festival using audio-visual aids and exhibits.
• At night the Danjiri or floats are illuminated. This is called Hi-iri Ei-kou. The floats are carried across the streets accompanied by much music, singing, dancing and drinking.
• Hikoki-nori, or the Airplane dance is one of the well known features of the festival.
• The festival offers the visitors a true Japanese tradition.

Season of Kishiwada Danjiri Festival in Osaka: The festival is held in September.