Japanese Tree Riding Festival

While this festival of replenishing the shrines with new trees has been going on for the past 1200 years the log riding portion kiotoshi seems to be a more recent sporting event.

Japanese tree riding festival. Its where the japanese ride a giant log down a hill and get worked doing it. That said do not expect to see the flowers wherever you go the trees bloom at different times throughout japan. Matsuri are traditional japanese festivals and each of them has a long history. Held once every 6 years this festival celebrates the bringing of huge logs from mt.

A festival of two halves held without fail for more than a millennium 1 200 years is the official count the onbashira festival is carried out in two segments the first called the yamadashi and the last. Does anyone have a link to video footage of the japanese log riding festival onbashira. During the festival participants fell massive fir trees and then young men ride them down hillsides in a test of faith and bravery. Epa by julian ryall in tokyo.

Matsuris are powerful energetic exciting and enjoyable everybody is always welcome to participate. It is associated with people of all ages making a wish writing it on colorful strips of paper tanzaku and tying them to a bamboo tree. Onbashira which translates to the honorable pillars attracts thousands. Japanese festival participants ride a giant fir tree log down a steep hill in the traditional onbashira festival near suwa grand shinto shrine in shimosuwa town photo.

Japanese tree riding festival. Every six years the suwa area in central nagano celebrates the onbashira festival. This festival which lasts several months consists of two main segments. Japan is known around the world for its cherry blossom festivals.

A look at the 2010 onbashira festival in suwa nagano japan. Known as hanami in japanese cherry blossom festivals are an important custom and are held all over japan during the spring. Japanese tree riding festival. Festival participants ride the onbashira as they are slid down the mountain dragged to the shrine and raised and the festival has the reputation of being the most dangerous in japan due to the number of people regularly injured or killed while riding the logs.

This tree may be at a shrine or simply tastefully put in your front garden.