Most viewed - Otsu Matsuri Festival 大津祭 |
Otsu Matsuri is one of Shiga's major festivals featuring thirteen ornate floats displayed and paraded around central Otsu over two days before Sports Day, a national holiday around Oct. 10.905 views
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Otsu Festival poster380 views
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Look at how many chimaki this girl caught!!!339 views
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The floats proceed down Teramachi-dori.317 views
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Wooden tanuki (raccoon dog) mask worn by Jihei, the man who started Otsu Matsuri.236 views
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The Otsu Matsuri has thirteen floats called hikiyama. Each one belongs to a different neighborhood in central Otsu. Each float has a name and features ornate carvings, tapestries, paintings, and other art work.199 views
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During the first day, the karakuri mechanical puppets are removed from the floats and displayed on street level. The karakuri ningyo puppets are a major highlight of the floats and festival. The puppets perform on the floats during the procession.186 views
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The first day of the festival has the floats parked and displayed on the streets and lit up at night. The first day of the festival is called Yoimiya. (This was Oct. 11, 2008.) 宵宮185 views
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As well as Otsu Hikaru-kun, official mascot of Otsu. He is based on the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) character. おおつ光ルくん176 views
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Empress Jingu173 views
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Karakuri puppet from Ryumon Taki-yama on display. At Otsu Station, maps and pamphlets about the festival are available.171 views
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Daytime view. The distinguishing feature of Otsu Matsuri floats is that they have three wheels instead of four (as with Kyoto's Gion Matsuri).166 views
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The float is associated with Empress Jingu of the 4th century. When she gestures to write some characters on a rock with her bow, and the characters magically appear.166 views
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The thirteenth and last float was Jingu Kogo-yama, originally built in 1749. 神功皇后山/猟師町156 views
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Otsu Matsuri floats 155 views
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Otsu Matsuri Hikiyama Tenjikan Museum (free admission) is in the Maruya-cho shopping arcade. 大津祭曳山展示館153 views
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Otsu Matsuri floats at Chuo-dori152 views
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This float (called Seio Bo-zan) is inside the Maruya-cho shopping arcade. 丸屋町151 views
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The floats also have elaborate tapestries, also removed for public display at street level. Two floats have tapestries depicting the Sack of Troy from Greek mythology.150 viewsThis one is from the Ryumon Taki-yama float.
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Lit lanterns and lit float.149 views
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Sesshoseki float at Otsu Matsuri.148 views
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In 1596, salt vendor Jihei (塩売 治兵衛) wore a tanuki mask and danced during a Tenson Shrine festival. People liked his dancing so much that they built a float two years later and Jihei danced on it.148 views
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Inside a shopping arcade near the Otsu Matsuri Hikiyama Museum. There weren't any floats where we could actually enter.147 views
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Readily identifiable with its vermillion wheels.147 views
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They also threw chimaki to the crowd. Chimaki are small bundles of straw wrapped with a thin hand towel. They were all blessed by Tenson Shrine.143 views
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Daytime view142 views
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Otsu Matsuri floats look better at night with the lanterns lit. Seeing the festival eve is well worth it. It's not so crowded either.141 views
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The top of the Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama float also has a stuffed tanuki (raccoon dog). This is how to identify this float at Otsu Matsuri.140 views
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The second day of the Otsu Matsuri Festival is called the Honmatsuri, featuring a procession of the thirteen floats as the festival climax. The highlight are the performances by the karakuri mechanical dolls on the floats.136 views
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The Chuo Odori road is wide, making it easy to view the floats. It's not as crowded as Gion Matsuri in Kyoto. There's a more earthly atmosphere at Otsu Matsuri.135 views
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During Yoimiya at night, each float had musicians performing.134 views
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Those people in the windows get a lot of chimaki thrown in. Otsu Matsuri.134 views
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The Otsu Matsuri is a festival of Tenson Shrine in Otsu. The path to the shrine is packed with worshippers. 132 views
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My YouTube video of Otsu Matsuri filmed on Oct. 12-13, 2013. Shows the Yoimiya and Hon-matsuri main festival day.129 viewsOtsu Matsuri is one of Shiga's major festivals featuring thirteen ornate floats displayed and paraded around central Otsu over two days before Sports Day, a national holiday around Oct. 10.
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Tenson Shrine torii gate. 天孫神社126 views
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The karakuri on Gekkyuden-yama float has two dancers, one wearing a crane crown and the other a turtle crown, dancing in front of the Emperor.126 views
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Karakuri dolls from Nishinomiya Ebisu-yama float.124 views
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Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama float with musicians playing on the bridge. 西行桜狸山124 views
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This float always heads the festival procession every year, while the other floats draw lots to determine their order in the procession.123 views
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Yutate-yama float123 views
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Genji-yama float. 源氏山123 views
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People crowd the route to the shrine hall to worship.122 views
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Genji-yama musicians.122 views
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Nighttime view121 views
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Inside Otsu Matsuri Hikiyama Museum is a life-size model of the Seiobo-zan (西王母山) float featuring a longevity peach and peach boy. 大津祭曳山展示館121 views
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Tapestry designated as an Important Cultural Property. The Trojan War's Sack of Troy (from Greek mythology) is depicted. From the Gekkyuden-zan float.121 views
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These pictures were taken on Oct. 12, 2008. This is the first float in the procession, called Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama. 西行桜狸山121 views
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More chimaki for the crowd.120 views
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Karakuri dolls performing. They are manipulated with strings and other devices below or on the side. (There are no strings above the puppets.)120 views
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Nighttime view during Yoimiya at Otsu Matsuri. Yoimiya is similar to the one held during the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto. 宵宮119 views
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Performance outside the Otsu Matsuri Hikiyama Museum.119 views
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Jingu Kogo-yama float119 views
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The floats are steered by men behind the wheels.119 views
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On Chuo Odori road, this spot had spectator seats (admission charged) to watch the karakuri performances which last only for a few minutes. At other spots, you can watch it for free.118 views
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On a narrower street, there are houses with open windows on the upper floor which is almost the same level as the float.118 views
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The karakuri has Lady Murasaki writing A Tale of Genji at Ishiyama-dera temple in Otsu.118 views
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The head flipped up to reveal a fox's head.118 views
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Otsu Matsuri lantern117 views
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On the right were musicians from the Jingu Kogo-yama float. They performed separately, then together. Flutes, drums, and chimes.117 views
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Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama float is associated with the tanuki (raccoon dog) mask worn by salt vendor (shiouri) Jihei who started the festival.117 views
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Him dancing on the festival float continued for over ten years after which his old age prevented him from continuing. A tanuki karakuri puppet was then used in his place on the float.117 views
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Musicians at the Genji-yama float. 源氏山117 views
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On with the procession.117 views
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The third float is Genji-yama. 源氏山/中京町117 views
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The rock is cracked open, and the lady changes into a fox.117 views
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Sake is poured from a keg for the Shojo to drink.116 views
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Chimaki were also sold for 500 yen. Chimaki is a small bundle of straw wrapped with paper. They throw these from the floats during the procession on the second day of the festival.115 views
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From noon to 1:45 pm, the floats gathered here on Chuo Odori, a wide road leading to Otsu Station. It was a lunch break and a chance for us to look at the floats up close.115 views
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Sign says, "Throw us chimaki!"115 views
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Between the Yutate-yama and Jingu Kogo-yama floats, they held a little event featuring the musicians from both floats.114 views
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On the left were musicians from the Yutate-yama float. 114 views
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Notice the gold carvings on the ceiling.114 views
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Karakuri puppet from the Genji-yama float. 源氏山114 views
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Karakuri puppet from the Genji-yama float. This is Lady Murasaki writing The Tale of Genji. 2008 is a special year for this float because of the novel's 1000th anniversary. 源氏山114 views
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Shrine priest on horseback.114 views
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Musicians chime in.114 views
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Trojan War tapestry114 views
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Karakuri dolls from Gekkyuden-zan float.113 views
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It was in 1638 when the tri-wheel hikiyama floats started to be constructed for the festival. As Otsu prospered, more floats were built until 1776 when the last Otsu Matsuri float (Gekkyuden-zan) was built.113 views
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Must be a great view from the window.113 views
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This is another spot where the karakuri dolls perform.113 views
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The tapestry on the back is said to been made in Flanders, Begium in the 17th century.113 views
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Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama float with musicians playing on the bridge. 西行桜狸山112 views
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Also on display in the house was this folding screen.112 views
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Float's front wheel, made of wood. The floats creek as they move.112 views
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A chimaki supposed to ward off bad luck, so we all want to catch one. You hang it above an entrance or under the eaves.112 views
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The Jingu Kogo-yama float has vermillion-painted wheels. It was also the last float in this year's procession.112 views
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The karakuri shows a hermit emerging from the flowers and talking with Priest Saigyo.112 views
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The sixth float is Nishinomiya Ebisu-yama. 西宮蛭子山/白玉町112 views
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The eleventh float was Sesshoseki-zan, originally built in 1673. 殺生石山/柳町112 views
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Beautiful painted ceiling.112 views
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Ornate, carved ceiling.112 views
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Wheel stopper112 views
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The crowd wait for chimaki to be thrown. This is something even Kyoto's Gion Matsuri does not do. (They used to do it.)111 views
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Parading on Chuo Odori road. 111 views
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At various spots along the procession route, each float stops to perform the karakuri puppets.111 views
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Lady Murasaki write Tale of Genji as these little figurines circle around her.111 views
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The fifth float is Shojo-yama. 猩々山/南保町111 views
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Kakkyo (Guo Ju in Chinese) was one of the 24 Chinese filial exemplars.111 views
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Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama. Notice the three wheels instead of four. 西行桜狸山110 views
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The crowd desperate to catch a chimaki. People tend to push and shove, and fight for one.110 views
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Hey, throw one here!! The thirteen floats throw tens of thousands of these chimaki during the procession. It makes this festival unusual. Most other float festivals don't do it.110 views
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Alright! I caught one! No more bad luck and misfortune to me!! It might make me immune to black cats always crossing my path. The chimaki lasts for one year after which you supposed to return it to the shrine to be burned during the Dondo-yaki Festival.110 views
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So let me introduce all the thirteen floats of the Otsu Matsuri.110 views
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Side view of Genji-yama.110 views
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The float has much Chinese influence in its artwork.110 views
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The tenth float was Kakkyo-yama, originally built in 1693. 郭巨山/後在家町・下小唐崎町110 views
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This red-haired Chinese lion comes out of a rock on Mt. Tiantaishan in China and jumps and spins all around amid peony flowers. Quite comical.110 views
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A young court lady who was actually a fox aiming to kill the Emperor was turned into a rock by this priest.110 views
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Karakuri dolls from the Kakkyo-yama float.109 views
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The route goes through central Otsu (walkable from Otsu Station.) A map of the route is available at the info counter in Otsu Station.109 views
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The floats gathered at Chuo-dori one after another.109 views
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The second float is Yutate-yama. 湯立山/玉屋町109 views
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The eighth float is Gekkyuden-zan. 月宮殿山/上京町109 views
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Inside the house was the tanuki mask worn by Jihei.108 views
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After the lunch break, the floats geared up to move on. This is the Genji-yama float with banners declaring the Millennium anniversary of Tale of Genji.108 views
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A peach splits opens and out comes a peach boy. The children's story Momotaro is based on this.108 views
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This house in Kajiya-cho was open to the public to exhibit stuff related to the lead float Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama.107 views
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A small parade comes thrpugh.107 views
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Seiobo is the Chinese goddess Xi Wangmu living on the mythological Kunlun Mountain. She danced for Emperor Wu of Han who desired longevity. She gave him a longevity peach.107 views
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This Gekkyuden-zan float had instruments (bells, drums) which anybody could try and play. 106 views
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The procession starts at 9 am and lasts until 5:30 pm. The procession route is different during the morning and afternoon. 105 views
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Always first in the Otsu Matsuri procession is the Saigyo Sakura Tanuki-yama float. It has cherry blossoms in the front. 西行桜狸山105 views
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The karakuri is based on the Noh play Sessho-seki.105 views
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Praying at Tenson Shrine.104 views
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Karakuri dolls from the Kakkyo-yama float.104 views
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Toward the end of the route is an even narrower road. This is where I photographed and shot videos of all the floats and all the karakuri performances.104 views
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The ninth float is Shakkyo-zan. 石橋山/湊町104 views
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The float is followed by a cart loaded with chimaki.103 views
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The fourth float is Ryumon Taki-yama. 龍門滝山/太間町103 views
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The karakuri shows Ebisu (God of Business Prosperity) going fishing for sea bream (an auspicious fish).103 views
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The twelveth float was Komeikisui-zan, originally built in 1694. 孔明祈水山/中堀町103 views
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During China's Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, chancellor of the state of Shu Han, fought Cao Cao, the chancellor of the state of Wei.101 viewsZhuge Liang looked at flowing water and prayed to the water god to wash away the enemy's huge army. He thereby emerged victorious.
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The seventh float is Seio Bo-zan. 西王母山/丸屋町100 views
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A female wearing a crane crown and a male with a turtle crown start dancing in front of the Chinese emperor to celebrate his longevity. 100 views
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The karakuri shows saké seller Takafu pouring saké for Shojo, an alcohol-loving, legendary sea creature with a red face and red hair. Shojo then drinks the saké.99 views
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Ebisu (god of fishermen) fishing for sea bream.98 views
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The karakuri shows Empress Jingu using her bow to write kanji characters on a large rock.98 views
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Modeled after Tenson Shrine, the karakuri puppets reenact the shrine's yudate Shinto ritual. 97 views
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Kakkyo digging a hole with a hoe and finding a pot of gold while his wife holds their son to be buried.96 views
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Somebody made a tanuki model and placed it near the float.92 views
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