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Sand bags protect the street corners from any collisions by the floats.93 views
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There are 31 Kishiwada danjiri floats. Made of wood, they weigh about 4 tons. They consist of 300 parts, the most of any festival floats in Japan.92 views
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Wanpaku Okoku91 views
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They also pop party poppers.91 views
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Can-Can has spectator stands which charge admission, like 2,000 yen or 3,000 yen for 2 hours.91 views
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After coming out of the Kishiwada Ekimae-dori shopping arcade, they face Nankai Kishiwada Station's west side. The procession route is mainly on the west side (ocean side) of the train tracks.90 views
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Rear view.90 views
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Streamers from part poppers blown by the wind get caught in the power lines. The best spot to take pictures here is occupied by a police/press grandstand seen on the right with the red and white curtain. 90 views
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On Sat., after a lunch break, the danjiri again ran along the central streets from 1 pm to 5 pm. In front of the Kishiwada Ekimae-dori shopping arcade, they stopped and threw hand towels, etc., to the crowd.90 views
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Girls standing by to pull a danjiri float.90 views
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Sumiyoshi Taisha's Hongu No. 1 shrine, a National Treasure. Osaka city. Worships Sokotsutsu no Onomikoto (底筒男命).90 views
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Wanpaku Okoku89 views
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Hundreds of people pull and run with wooden danjiri floats around the central streets. This is the entrance of Kishiwada Ekimae-dori shopping arcade in front of the train station. These photos were taken on Sept. 19-20, 2009.89 views
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They stop for a while, then run and turn left or right. The procession route is quite long, and you can follow it on the map they give out. Most spectators gather at several key points along the route.89 views
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It turned into this road, but not before it brushed against the roof of the building on the left. There was a big crumpling noise. You can see the dust near the roof.89 views
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It's quite a spectacle to see all these people running while pulling a rope. Amazing that no one tripped and fell down.88 views
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Riding on the danjiri float at the front are three of the danjiri group's important officers. Musicians (flute players, drummers, and bell ringers) also ride and perform on the danjiri.88 views
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The inside of the taiko drums is covered with gold leaf for better sound.88 views
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Site of a sekisho gate in Yamanaka.87 views
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Each danjiri has a man (sometimes two of them) dancing up and down on the roof while the danjiri moves. This is another dramatic aspect of the festival.87 views
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Also see my video at YouTube.87 views
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Also see my Haruki video at YouTube.87 views
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Here are two men dancing on the danjiri roof.87 views
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Only a small crowd of a few hundred attended.87 views
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This T-intersection in front of Nankai Kishiwada Station is one good place to watch the floats go by. However, I recommend walking along the route to see other key places, especially at intersections where they turn.86 views
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Look closely and you'll see numerous intricate wood carvings. Much of them are protected by a steel netting. The oldest danjiri still in use today was built in 1840.86 views
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Some carvings depict famous battle or historical scenes.86 views
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Amusement park called Wanpaku Okoku. わんぱく王国85 views
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The original danjiri floats were made in the 17th century by skilled craftsmen and carpenters in Kishiwada specializing in building shrines and temples.85 views
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Danjiri entering Ekimae-dori at Can-Can.85 views
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The main castle tower is surrounded by a moat which in turn is ringed by a park with cherry trees.85 views
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Here they come in front of Kishiwada Station.84 views
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Spectator stand (admission charged) at Can-Can intersection.84 views
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This float is ready for the night parade which is held from 7 pm to 10 pm.84 views
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On Sunday morning (Sept. 20, 2009), as I was walking toward Kishiwada Station, I saw this danjiri coming up and making a turn.84 views
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Musicians on a danjiri float. There's a large taiko drum inside the float.84 views
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Also see my Haruki video at YouTube.84 views
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One danjiri group wore these pointy caps. Maybe it was somebody's birthday??83 views
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Can-Can intersection. Danjiri from both the left and right will enter the road in the middle. カンカン場83 views
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Head-on shot of them running in front of the shopping mall.83 views
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Stairs down from the station.82 views
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Roof damaged by danjiri float. I hope the owner had danjiri damage insurance. I heard that such accidents are unusual, but it happened right in front of me. Didn't get it on video though.82 views
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Looks like his dad is teaching him to become a roof dancer as well. Dad holds the boy at all times.82 views
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Manhole in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka.82 views
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From 5 pm to 7 pm, there is a break during which the danjiri floats mount paper lanterns for the night parade.81 views
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Kishiwada Castle81 views
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Large carpet-like mural depicting Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float.81 views
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My video of Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival, around Nankai Kishiwada Station in Kishiwada, Osaka. Footage shot mainly near Kishiwada Castle.81 views
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I had a good viewing spot until these festival men kept standing in front of us. After passing by Kishiwada City Hall, the danjiri headed to Kishiwada Castle and then to the shrine.80 views
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They are waiting their turn to reach the shrine.80 views
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Yaei Shrine80 views
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Then I walked to a T-intersection called Usagiya. 80 views
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Passengers on the Hanwa Line between Osaka and Wakayama will get a real visual treat when the cherries are in bloom.79 views
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One float released balloons.79 views
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It must take a lot of skill and practice to balance yourself on a moving danjiri and dance on a sloping roof.79 views
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Can-Can is the most popular spot to see the danjiri festival in Kishiwada. It is a T-intersection where the floats turn into the Ekimae-dori at high speed from two directions.79 views
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Inside the shopping arcade, another danjiri is being mounted with paper lanterns.79 views
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A shrine priest blesses the danjiri float.79 views
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I noticed that the shopping mall had a roof and parking structure where we could see the danjiri passing by below.79 views
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Going up the shrine's taikobashi arch bridge called Sorihashi (反橋).79 views
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Sumiyoshi Taisha's ema prayer tablet for 2019, Year of the Boar. ¥1000 絵馬79 views
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This is a statue of Yamato Takeru (日本武尊) at Otori Taisha. He went around Japan and defeated his enemies until he finally met his demise on Mt. Ibuki in Shiga Prefecture where sought to kill an evil god. 79 viewsThis god disguised himself as a white boar (another version says it was a serpent) who sprayed a poisonous mist that sickened Yamato Takeru.

He eventually died and when his body was cremated and buried in Kameyama in Mie Prefecture, his spirit rose from the ashes as a great white bird. This bird landed in a few places before finally landing here in Sakai, Osaka, where this Otori Shrine was built. "Otori" means "Big Bird" (not like Sesame Street, but more like a great swan or firebird).
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Manhole in Sakai, Osaka.79 views
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This is another part of the parade route. They are approaching an intersection called Can-Can-ba. 78 views
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Can-Can from another angle. This goes on until 5 pm on Sat.78 views
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From 7 pm, they start parading the danjiri floats festooned with lit paper lanterns. This is the entrance to the shopping arcade in front of Kishiwada Station.78 views
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri lanterns in front of Kishiwada Station.78 views
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We were blessed with a sunny day, and castles and festival floats always look best with a blue sky.78 views
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There is a road around Kishiwada Castle, but most of it is closed to pedestrians. The police will tell you how to get to the castle if you want to go inside.78 views
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In the early afternoon on Sun., I decided to also see the Haruki Danjiri Matsuri near Nankai Haruki Station a short train ride away. This is near Haruki Station.78 views
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Hawaii basketball players practicing.78 views
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Men behind the danjiri pull shorter ropes attached to a steering pole. They steer the float by pulling the ropes when necessary. 77 views
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The roof was significantly damaged, and they just brushed aside the broken roof tiles.77 views
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Danjiri float being blessed in front of Kishiki Shrine, near Kishiwada Castle. 岸城神社77 views
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Inside Osaka Station.77 views
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Inside Grand Front Osaka, this coffee shop from Hawaii (serving Kona coffee) with a long line of people waiting to get in. We couldn't wait and reluctantly went to Starbucks instead.77 views
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Yamanaka-dani poster76 views
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Paper lanterns to be mounted on a danjiri float.76 views
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Unlike the daytime parade, at night they pull the danjiri slowly. No running. Slow enough for little children to pull the float's ropes. 76 views
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Kishiwada Castle76 views
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They are waiting their turn to reach the shrine.76 views
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Kishiwada Castle remained open during the festival.76 views
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Near Kishiwada Castle is the Danjiri Festival Museum. Very impressive museum dedicated to this famous festival.76 views
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The danjiri floats turned here in front of Haruki Station. I heard that they were more radical in Haruki, but that wasn't the case.76 views
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I then went to a more remote intersection here, called Takamatsu. 76 views
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Mounting paper lanterns on a danjiri float.75 views
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This float had two boys on the roof.75 views
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Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float.75 views
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From Kishiwada Castle's lookout deck, you can see danjiri floats lining up all around to reach Kishiki Shrine. 75 views
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Inside the museum are life-size models of danjiri roofs on which you can dance on.75 views
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Bird's eye view of danjiri festival in Haruki. The shopping mall parking structure turned out to be a good place to shoot.75 views
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The pedestrian bridge above the train tracks gives a bird's-eye view of all or most of the tracks. I could never figure out Osaka Station until now.75 views
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My video of Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival shot in the Haruki area near Haruki Station on Sept. 20, 2009 in Kishiwada, Osaka.75 views
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Next to Otori Taisha's Haiden hall was this jumbo ema prayer tablet for the Year of the Boar 2019. A white boar steadily walking up a hill toward its goal symbolized by the rising sun.75 views
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Danjiri at Can-Can.74 views
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The paper lanterns are lit with small electric lightbulbs powered by many car batteries. The batteries are put on the floats. They don't use power generators.74 views
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This float has the lanterns lit to form the kanji character for "kita" (北) in reference to the float's neighborhood (Kita-machi).74 views
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So I left city hall and walked to Kishiwada Castle. It's difficult to figure out which roads to walk on. Some parts of the danjiri route are closed to pedestrians, especially where there are no sidewalks. Danjiri need a wide road.74 views
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On Sun. morning, the the danjiri parade is called "Miya-iri" which means that they are going to the shrine to be blessed. This is in front of Kishiwada City Hall on a slope called Konakara-zaka (こなから坂).74 views
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I walked back toward town and saw Yaei Shrine. This is the shrine where the Haruki danjiri floats are blessed during the Miya-iri held on Sun. morning. 弥栄神社74 views
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Haruki Danjiri Matsuri in front of the shopping mall.74 views
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The danjiri floats pass by the castle on their way to a shrine to be blessed.74 views
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The Grand Front Osaka complex next to Osaka Station opened in April 2013.74 views
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It looks very crowded at Sumiyoshi Taisha, but it progressed quickly. Kept on walking most of the time.74 views
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A float stands by to enter Can-Can intersection.73 views
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Confection in the shape of danjiri.73 views
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This spot in front of city hall is very popular to view the floats passing by.73 views
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Danjiri float around Kishiwada Castle.73 views
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Posters of past Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and a large mural.73 views
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The new station buildings also have pleasant rooftop parks with a view.73 views
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People going to Hongu No. 1 shrine (left). In the distance is the back of Hongu No. 2 shrine.73 views
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Leaving city hall was a blessing in disguise as I was able to get great shots of the floats with Kishiwada Castle in the background.72 views
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You may wonder if those men on the danjiri roof ever slip and fall. Well, they wear rubber-soled footwear and the roof is covered with grippy matting.72 views
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Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float pullers72 views
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After Haruki Station, I walked over to this road in front of a large shopping mall. This was another good spot to see the danjiri pass by.72 views
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In Haruki, this section in front of the shopping mall was the most crowded.72 views
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There are great spots to just sit or meet up with a friend. 72 views
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Kishiwada Station, west side. I stopped over in Kishiwada on Sat. night so I could see the festival the next day as well.71 views
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Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float.71 views
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Rooftop garden for rent.71 views
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Walking path along the cherry blossoms.69 views
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Joston Thomas68 views
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My best shot of the day. Joston Thomas.68 views
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Inside Kishiwada Castle tower is a modern museum.67 views
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Pi`i Minns66 views
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Lookout deck on top floor of Kishiwada Castle tower.65 views
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Malasada shop at Hirakata Koen Station. Didn't have time to check it out, but it looked more like a doughnut shop.65 views
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Kishiki Shrine's priest conducts a prayer for each float.65 views
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