Two Men Killed in Float Festival Crashes During Japan’s Danjiri Events
Two men killed and over a dozen injured as floats overturned during Japan's danjiri festivals. Accidents occur during high-speed turns.
POLICY WIRE — Osaka, Japan — Two men lost their lives and more than a dozen people were injured after floats overturned during annual festivals in Osaka Prefecture on Saturday.
In Izumisano, a 51-year-old man was trapped under a flipped float while riding with other participants, according to police. He later died at the hospital, with seven others sustaining injuries. A separate incident in Izumiotsu involved a toppled float that killed a 48-year-old man who was also underneath it, with nine others hurt.
The accidents occurred as the traditional “danjiri” floats were being maneuvered through tight corners without stopping, a key feature of the parades known as yarimawashi. These floats, pulled entirely by human power, are part of festivals that began as rituals for bountiful harvests in the region’s southern areas.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)