Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Haruki Danjiri Festival 2009 岸和田・春木だんじり祭
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The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Haruki Danjiri Matsuri festivals are held during the weekend before Respect for Aged Day (national holiday) which is the third Mon. in Sept. The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is held near Nankai Kishiwada Station (pictured).
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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.
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On Sat., the first day of the festival, they pulled the danjiri floats from 6:00 am to 7:30 am in their respective neighborhoods. Then from 9:30 am to 11 am, they pull the floats along the central streets, including Kishiwada Ekimae-dori shopping arcade.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sand bags protect the street corners from any collisions by the floats.
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Each float has two long white ropes pulled by many people, both men and women, dressed in happi coats, headband, and usually white pants.
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They run while pulling the danjiri floats while a man on the float's roof dances and prances with two fans. They pass by very quickly, unlike other float festivals. This is in front of Kishiwada Station.
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Rear view.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Some carvings depict famous battle or historical scenes.
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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.
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They also pop party poppers.
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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.
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Most pf the danjiri festival girls had braided scalps, sometimes in a flowery pattern..
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Girls standing by to pull a danjiri float.
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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.
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Here they come in front of Kishiwada Station.
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One float released balloons.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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One danjiri group wore these pointy caps. Maybe it was somebody's birthday??
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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.
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My video of Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival, around Nankai Kishiwada Station in Kishiwada, Osaka. Footage shot mainly near Kishiwada Castle.
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This is another part of the parade route. They are approaching an intersection called Can-Can-ba.
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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.
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Can-Can has spectator stands which charge admission, like 2,000 yen or 3,000 yen for 2 hours.
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Spectator stand (admission charged) at Can-Can intersection.
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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
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Danjiri at Can-Can.
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Danjiri entering Ekimae-dori at Can-Can.
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri
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A float stands by to enter Can-Can intersection.
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Can-Can from another angle. This goes on until 5 pm on Sat.
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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.
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Paper lanterns to be mounted on a danjiri float.
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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.
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Mounting paper lanterns on a danjiri float.
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Inside the shopping arcade, another danjiri is being mounted with paper lanterns.
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This float is ready for the night parade which is held from 7 pm to 10 pm.
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Confection in the shape of danjiri.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri lanterns in front of Kishiwada Station.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The roof was significantly damaged, and they just brushed aside the broken roof tiles.
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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.
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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).
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This spot in front of city hall is very popular to view the floats passing by.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Kishiwada Castle
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We were blessed with a sunny day, and castles and festival floats always look best with a blue sky.
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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.
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This float had two boys on the roof.
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Kishiwada Castle
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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.
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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.
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Musicians on a danjiri float. There's a large taiko drum inside the float.
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Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float pullers
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Kishiwada Castle
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They are waiting their turn to reach the shrine.
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Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float.
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Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float.
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They are waiting their turn to reach the shrine.
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Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and Kishiwada Castle
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Danjiri float being blessed in front of Kishiki Shrine, near Kishiwada Castle. 岸城神社
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A shrine priest blesses the danjiri float.
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The float pullers enter the shrine grounds for a short prayer.
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Kishiki Shrine's priest conducts a prayer for each float.
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Kishiwada Castle remained open during the festival.
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From Kishiwada Castle's lookout deck, you can see danjiri floats lining up all around to reach Kishiki Shrine.
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Danjiri float around Kishiwada Castle.
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Near Kishiwada Castle is the Danjiri Festival Museum. Very impressive museum dedicated to this famous festival.
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Posters of past Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and a large mural.
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Large carpet-like mural depicting Kishiwada Castle and danjiri float.
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Inside the museum are life-size models of danjiri roofs on which you can dance on.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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I then went to a more remote intersection here, called Takamatsu.
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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.
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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
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Yaei Shrine
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Then I walked to a T-intersection called Usagiya.
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Head-on shot of them running in front of the shopping mall.
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Haruki Danjiri Matsuri in front of the shopping mall.
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In Haruki, this section in front of the shopping mall was the most crowded.
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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.
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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.
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Here are two men dancing on the danjiri roof.
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The parade ended at 5 pm. They then mounted paper lanterns on the floats for the night parade. Same as the night before. But I left Kishiwada before 7 pm when the night parade started.
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Haruki Danjiri Matsuri poster
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Haruki Station
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