Home > SHIGA 滋賀県 > Higashi-Omi 東近江市 > Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival 2004 + 2007 八日市大凧まつり

Most viewed - Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival 2004 + 2007 八日市大凧まつり
24_3379.jpg
Yokaichi giant kite coming up.314 views
12_3315.jpg
Take off. On cue, the people pulling the kite start running and the kite starts to lift off. Also see the video at YouTube.296 views
30_3389.jpg
No wind. This flight lasted only about 30 sec. We ran about 50 meters, then the kite fell back to Earth. Also see the video at YouTube.261 views
28_3387.jpg
Yokaichi Odako giant kite Air borne239 views
20_3354.jpg
Kite train or "rendako." These kites are pretty to watch. 連凧231 views
29_3388.jpg
Higher and higher...216 viewsIt went up to about ?? meters.
11_3308.jpg
Raising the kite. Long bamboo poles are used to prop the huge kite upward to meet the wind.211 views
04_3336.jpg
The Big One. The size is equivalent to 100 tatami mats or about 12 meters x 13 meters (156 square meters).208 views
31_2367.jpg
Festival poster205 views
03_3355.jpg
Mini kite contest. Kite contestants show off their kite designs at their tents.196 views
01_3291a.jpg
I saw the Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival (Odako Matsuri) for the first time on May 23, 2004. The site is alongside the Echigawa River near the Yachiyo Bridge. A free shuttle bus from Yokaichi Station is provided, taking about 10 min. 194 views
27_3385.jpg
And lift off...185 views
26_3381.jpg
OK, RUN NOW!! This is the most exciting part when we start running with the rope. It was like a stampede, and I let go after a few seconds to avoid getting runned over by the mob behind me.182 views
25_3380.jpg
100 kite pullers178 views
050-IMG_3056.jpg
May 27, 2007 was a bad day for giant kite flying in Yokaichi, as the giant kite crashes head-first into a bamboo grove on its first and last flight during the Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival.176 views
21_3362.jpg
Giant Kite sake. The food and souvenir booths sold a variety of merchandise including this locally-brewed sake, complete with a label showing this year's kite design.167 views
14_3331.jpg
Yokaichi Giant Kite Preservation Society. This is the group responsible for producing, maintaining, and flying the giant kite. 大凧保存会162 views
15_3350.jpg
Sagamihara kite team invited. Sagamihara city in Kanagawa Prefecture also has a giant kite festival, and they were invited to fly a smaller version of their kite at Yokaichi. (Yokaichi was also invited to Sagamihara's kite festival in April.)162 views
08_3298.jpg
Ready for flight160 views
051-IMG_3058.jpg
At slightly past noon with medium-force winds, the giant kite is launched. The kite immediately went straight up. The giant kite is 13 meters high and 12 meters wide, and weighs 700 kg.157 views
16_3345.jpg
Sagamihara kite in flight. Due to a lack of wind, this flight didn't last long.150 views
10_3307.jpg
Launch pad. The kite is carried to the take off point and pointed toward the wind, which unfortunately very weak this day.146 views
19_3361.jpg
Mini kite flying contest143 views
05_3334.jpg
Carved paper141 views
07_3372.jpg
Stringing the kite135 views
02_3295.jpg
Crowds134 views
18_3360.jpg
Mini kite flying contest. The flying portion of the kite contest is held.134 views
09_3306.jpg
Kite corner133 views
22_3341.jpg
Kite pullers wanted. This booth, next to the giant kite, is where you can apply to pull the kite. Anybody can apply to pull the giant kite. I applied and got a little kite pin and a pair of gloves.133 views
17_3353.jpg
Banzai from Sagamihara. After the kite's flight, the Sagamihara team give a few banzais to themselves and to Yokaichi.132 views
13_3333.jpg
Snapped part being repaired.130 views
23_3376.jpg
Ready for another flight130 views
06_3303.jpg
People's fortune stickers on the kite. 願い札126 views
052-IMG_3060.jpg
It flew very high, up to about 150 meters, then veered to the right, over our heads.96 views
054-IMG_3068.jpg
The giant kite was swallowed whole by the bamboo trees. No one was hurt. Also see my YouTube video here. 大凧が竹やぶに落下89 views
053-IMG_3062.jpg
Then it suddenly dove straight down and crashed head-first into the bamboo grove. Ironically, the blue banner on the left says, "Ganbatte" (Do your best).87 views
076-IMG_3096.jpg
84 views
066-IMG_3203.jpg
A closer look at the accident scene. The kite suffered significant damage, and it took about 20 days to repair.82 views
077-IMG_3094.jpg
82 views
057-IMG_3082.jpg
This was the 2nd time in three years for the giant kite to meet a major accident. In 2005, the kite broke in half in the sky and crashed into a crowd of people below.78 views
073-IMG_3091.jpg
78 views
067-IMG_3206.jpg
As I predicted again, they started disassembling the kite so they could roll (crumple) it up and carry it out. The kite was not flown again for this festival. It was to be its final flight since it will be replaced next year.76 views
069-IMG_3194.jpg
Stack of cut bamboo.74 views
072-IMG_3092.jpg
73 views
075-IMG_3093.jpg
73 views
064-IMG_3165.jpg
How he wished that he could just pull the strings to drag the kite out.72 views
055-IMG_3072.jpg
All we could see were the kite strings.71 views
063-IMG_3161.jpg
No way would this guy be able to pull the kite out of this one...70 views
071-IMG_3089.jpg
70 views
068-IMG_3106.jpg
Carrying out bamboo. Many people left the festival after the kite crash.70 views
065-IMG_3169.jpg
The kite strings were too tangled in the bamboo.69 views
074-IMG_3095.jpg
69 views
062-IMG_3158.jpg
A small clearing was made around the kite.68 views
060-IMG_3130.jpg
Hanging on to the strings...67 views
070-IMG_3101.jpg
Medium-size kites entered in a kite-flying contest.67 views
056-IMG_3076.jpg
The sign says "Arigato gozaimasu" (Thank you). I guess the bamboo was hungry for a giant kite.66 views
061-IMG_3134.jpg
As I expected, they soon started cutting down the bamboo.66 views
059-IMG_3114.jpg
Members of the giant kite preservation society look on as the disappointing and heartbreaking situation is assessed.65 views
058-IMG_3086.jpg
"So how does it look?" "It looks pretty bad, boss."61 views
 
59 files on 1 page(s)