Inside the wild world of Osaka’s dangerous, adrenaline-fueled float festivals

CNN —

To a din of cheering crowds, rhythmic chanting and taiko drums, hundreds of people haul massive wooden floats through the streets of Osaka — while running as fast as they can. This chaotic spectacle is one of the Japanese prefecture’s “danjiri matsuri,” or float festivals.

Held over a few weeks in October, they’re considered one of the most dangerous events on Japan’s festival calendar. The floats weigh several tons, and accidents sometimes occur while navigating them around sharp corners. They can even be deadly, especially for those who ride on top of the moving danjiri, known as “daikugata.”

“Danjiri sometimes fall over or collide, and I’ve seen daikugata fall,” says Shinya Ogura, a six-time danjiri rider at one such festival in Osaka’s Otori region.

For Ogura, the view from the top — and the thrill of staying up there — is part of what makes the experience so addictive.

“I think it’s a very rewarding position,” he says. “My grandfather and father have participated since I was a child, and I’ve followed them.”

Passed down over generations, some estimate the festivals began around 300 years ago as a way for local communities to ward off illness and bad luck or to pray for a rich harvest.

A tradition rooted in craftsmanship

The carvings depict scenes from Japanese mythology and battles, often from early chronicles of history and legends.

For centuries, danjiri festivals have also celebrated woodworking. “Daikugata” directly translates as carpenter; the festival’s prized role was once reserved for the people who made the floats. Each danjiri is adorned with hundreds of individual figures, chiseled by hand.

Today, artisans like Akihiko Maeda continue the tradition. The 48-year-old gave up riding the danjiri