Have you ever heard of a danjiri? Me either! At least, I hadn't heard of one until a couple of years ago.
This video gives you an idea of what it looks like - a big wooden cart of sorts - being pulled along by dozens, maybe even hundreds of people. Kishiwada, a small city not far from here has a big Danjiri Festival each fall. I've never been to the festival in person, but I hear the streets are packed with on-lookers. Sometimes if the danjiri are being pulled too quickly as they rush around a corner the danjiri doesn't quite clear the corner resulting in property damage and occasionally injury. Gboy and I like to think of it like a kind of "running with the bulls". Only without any animals.
Anyway, this past weekend we visited the Danjiri Museum. It's a small museum, but their interactive components made the trip totally worthwhile. Not only did I get to "play" some of the instruments that are on the bottom half of the danjiri, I got to experience what it might be like to stand atop the danjiri (at about half the actual height and minus any movement)! I can safely say that I'd be too chicken to try it for real, but that's the beauty of a museum with interactive elements, I can pretend I have the guts to do something wild and still keep all my teeth (knowing me I'd fall off the thing and lose a tooth!).
Can you tell I was having fun?!
Can you tell I was having fun?!
Oh my god!! You live near there?? I was an exchange student in Osaka and my family's Honke was in Kishiwada and I was in the Danjiri matsuri!! It is seriously scary, even we lowly rope luggers were getting thrown around as we went around corners. I did it in a typhoon and the road was slippery, the rope was slippery and the guys on the roof were still dancing up a storm. Three houses had structural damage from being hit by rampaging danjiri and it took me 3 days to get the last of the gelled in twists out of my elaborate hairdo. If you get a chance you really should go and see it- from a safe distance! I was in the Otemachi team... natsukashi!
ReplyDeleteI learned something new today! :) The pictures are so cute, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh my it sure does, you are having a blast!!!! = ) I never knew what Danjiri Matsuri was honestly... hehe
ReplyDeletethefukases- I can't believe you were IN the Danjiri matsuri! My brother-in-law knew a couple that rode on a danjiri as part of their wedding (at least that's how I understood it) - they're from Kishiwada. My hubby helped pull the little old local danjiri when he was a kid. But that's for show only really - no racing or hardwork of any kind. I did get to see the locals pulling it along this fall - so cute!
ReplyDeleteI don't really get it but you look happy!
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