OSAKA, Oct 10 (Information On Japan) –
Each autumn, the Kishiwada Danjiri Pageant is held, and this time we’re taking a historic tour of the competition’s key websites!
On the Kishiwada Danjiri Museum, three precise danjiri floats from the Edo interval, which have been utilized in previous festivals, are on show. These floats are adorned with intricate carvings, a few of which rework in design when considered up shut! Guests can even expertise the joys of standing atop the roof as a “daikugata” dancer or play the drums inside a danjiri. Moreover, the tour contains well-known places alongside the danjiri procession route, corresponding to Kishiki Shrine and Kishiwada Citadel.
At present, we’ve come to Kishiwada Metropolis, Osaka Prefecture. The streets behind us are spectacular, aren’t they? The ambiance is wealthy, harking back to scenes from the Edo interval. We’re standing close to the previous Kishu Freeway, near Kishiki Shrine. This space, though not formally designated as a preservation district for conventional buildings, retains its allure and will simply be acknowledged as such.
The joy of the Kishiwada Danjiri Pageant, held on September tenth and fifteenth, nonetheless lingers within the air. At present, we’ll discover places linked to the danjiri competition. This competition, identified for its highly effective shouts and the swift motion of the huge danjiri floats, introduced crowds to Kishiwada this yr as soon as once more.
Our investigation begins on the Kishiwada Danjiri Museum. Even outdoors the competition interval, guests can expertise the truth of the competition right here. The museum homes not solely massive danjiri floats but additionally smaller ornaments and decorations, like banners and hats. Guests can intently observe the detailed carvings on the floats, which date again almost 180 years to the Edo interval. The danjiri floats are unpainted, permitting the craftsmanship to stay because it was, polished by hand with out fashionable instruments.
Among the many historic floats is the Nomamachi Danjiri, created in 1901. The museum additionally homes a good older float, the Gokenyama Danjiri, which dates again over 200 years. Within the Edo interval, these floats needed to cross via the fort gates, which have been too low for the tall danjiri. To navigate this, the roofs of the floats would decrease as they entered the fort grounds.
Along with seeing these floats, guests can expertise the varied roles concerned within the competition, such because the dancers (daikugata) and those that pull the danjiri. It takes round 400 to 500 folks to tug a single danjiri, and previously, the quantity may attain as much as 600 or 700. The floats sprint at full velocity via the streets, making the danjiri competition really an exciting occasion.
After exploring the museum, our tour continues to Kishiki Shrine, a key location alongside the danjiri procession route. This shrine not solely performs a major function through the competition however is also referred to as a spot for prayers associated to marriage. The shrine has robust connections to Kishiwada Citadel, and the custom of the competition is deeply intertwined with the city’s historical past.
Lastly, we arrive at Kishiwada Citadel, a symbolic construction that was first established in 1597. The present fort was rebuilt in 1954 after the unique construction was destroyed by lightning within the Edo interval. The fort grounds provide gorgeous views, and the encircling gardens are designed in a mode impressed by Chinese language navy technique. Guests can even view historic artifacts, together with a uncommon portrait of Akechi Mitsuhide, one of many few surviving photos of the well-known samurai.
This historic tour presents a deeper understanding of the Kishiwada Danjiri Pageant, permitting guests to understand not solely the competition’s power but additionally its cultural and historic significance. Why not discover the roots of the competition and expertise its wealthy historical past for your self?
Supply: YOMIURI
