Japan’s 780-year-old festival begins:Men race carrying one-tonne floats; 10 lakh visitors gather

The Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival was held in Fukuoka, Japan, to commemorate protection from epidemics. The tradition is believed to have begun in 1241. According to local belief, during an epidemic, Buddhist monk Shuichi Kokushi (Enni) sprinkled holy water across the city, after which the disease came to an end. The festival began in memory of that event. The festival is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and around one million tourists gathered to watch this year’s celebrations. The festival features two types of floats. Kazariyama are large, decorative floats that stand about 10 metres tall and are displayed for exhibition only. Kakiyama are smaller floats weighing around one tonne, which teams of men carry on their shoulders as they race through the city’s streets. Building these floats costs between ₹5.5 million and ₹20 million. Several more lakhs of rupees are also spent on traditional costumes and other arrangements. Because of the summer heat, spectators standing along the route pour cold water over the runners to help keep them cool and boost their energy. The participants wear only a traditional cotton jacket called Mizu-Happi and a special loincloth known as Shimekomi. This helps prevent their clothes from becoming heavy when soaked with water, making it easier for them to run.