Kishiwada Danjiri Festival in Full Swing

Sep 14, 2025 | News On Japan

OSAKA - The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is being over the weekend in Osaka, where around half a million people watch 4-ton floats charge through the city.

The festival is said to have originated in the mid-Edo period as a prayer for a good harvest and has continued for more than 300 years.

The massive danjiri floats are pulled at high speed through the city, thrilling onlookers.

The highlight is the dramatic "yari mawashi," where teams race the floats and execute sharp right-angle turns at intersections.

Spectators responded with loud cheers to the powerful sight.

"I came to see it for the first time, and I’m really excited," one visitor said. Another added, "It’s so powerful, with the sound of the big drum echoing all around."

The festival continues Sunday, with organizers expecting about 500,000 visitors in total.

Source: TBS

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