The , held in

Kishiwada, Osaka is a Cities of Japan, city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,853 in 88,598 households and a population density of 2,600 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . The city is well known for ...

, is one of the most famous

Danjiri Matsuri Danjiri Matsuri are cart-pulling festivals held in Japan. The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is probably the most famous. There are other Danjiri Matsuri held in the City of Kobe and Haruki Town, but they are less popular and spectacular. The highlight ...

festivals in Japan. The festival is a parade involving large wooden shrine floats that are pulled at a high speed by a large team of men.

History

The festival began in 1703 when the ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...

'' of Kishiwada, Okabe Nagayasu (), prayed for an abundant harvest to

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

divinity

Inari Inari may refer to: Shinto * Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit ** Mount Inari in Japan, site of Fushimi Inari-taisha, the main Shinto shrine to Inari ** Inari shrine, dedicated to the Shinto god Inari * Inari-zushi, a type of sushi Places * Inari, ...

, the rice goddess of

Fushimi Inari-taisha is the head shrine of the ''kami'' Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain, also named Inari, which is above sea level, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrin ...

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. He opened the doors of the

Kishiwada Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Kishiwada, Osaka, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Kishiwada Castle was home to the Okabe clan, ''daimyō'' of Kishiwada Domain. The Honmaru Garden of the castle is ...

to the population for the festival.

Summary

The Danjiri festival is divided principally into two festivals. The first is held in September and is the more famous of the two. The second occurs in October, is less famous but involves more Danjiri. The September Festival is itself divided in two. Again, the more famous is the Kishiwada danjiri centering on the Castle and runs from the Nankai line down to the seaside. The other Danjiri festival occurs in Haruki Town and centres on Nankai Haruki Station. The September Festival involves 34 Danjiri. In October the towns between the Nankai line and the mountains hold their own Danjiri Festivals. These involve 47 Danjiri and centre on the JR stations of Kumeda, Shimomatsu and Higashi-Kishiwada. The city has 81 large wooden

carts A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by draught animals such as horses, donkeys, mules and oxen, or even smaller animals such as goats or large dogs. A handcart ...

, each holding a portable shrine or danjiri.

Schedule

Since 2006, Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri has been held on the Saturday and Sunday before

Respect for the Aged Day is a public holiday in Japan celebrated annually to honor elderly citizens. It started in 1966 as a national holiday and was held on every September 15. Since 2003, Respect for the Aged Day is held on the third Monday of September due to the ...

Personal roles

*Sponsor (世話人 ''sewanin'') *"Young head" (若頭 ''waka gashira'') *Pulling team (組 ''kumi'') *Cartwright (大工方 ''daiku gata'') *"Young man group" (青年團 ''seinen dan''): usually 16–25-year-old people who play musical instruments such as the

taiko are a broad range of Traditional Japanese musical instruments, Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese language, Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various J ...

(drum) and

Kane Kane or KANE may refer to: Art, entertainment and media Fictional entities *Kane (comics), the main character of the eponymous comic book series by Paul Grist * Kane (''Command & Conquer''), Tiberium universe character in the ''Command & Conquer'' ...

(bell).

References

External links

{{Commons category, Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri *

Tsukuno Danjiri Matsuri Danjiri Matsuri are cart-pulling festivals held in Japan. The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is probably the most famous. There are other Danjiri Matsuri held in the City of Kobe and Haruki Town, but they are less popular and spectacular. The highlight ...

Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival
HK (video) Festivals in Osaka Prefecture Kishiwada, Osaka