Kishiwada Danjiri Festival: Thrills and Local Pride

The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is one of the most vibrant and spectacular festivals in all of Japan. Over 2 consecutive days, ornately decorated floats known as Danjiri are pulled through the streets at high speed by teams of over 200 men. The wheels on the Danjiri floats are fixed straight ahead, so they cannot be steered like a car, but the teams pulling them skillfully maneuver the floats around corners. Drawing on their expertise, experience, and bravery, they even put their lives at risk. These thrilling turns are the highlight of the festival. David Pavlina is from the United States. He visits Kishiwada to watch the Danjiri Festival and meet the people taking part. He also visits a local furniture store to discover the traditional craftsmanship, and samples some of the street foods that are popular in this region of Osaka Prefecture.