Participants waiting for the Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri to begin in the city of Osaka, Japan. The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri festival is one of the most famous Danjiri Matsuri's in Japan and attracts thousands of tourists every year. Danjiri are large wooden carts, weighing as much as four tons, in the shape of a shrine or temple and it is believed that spirits or gods reside in the Danjiri. In Kishiwada, Osaka, the carts are pulled thru the streets of the city on the festival day by teams of town guild members up to 1000 strong wearing their guild happi coat and headband. The guild leader rides on top of the Danjiri cart hopping and dancing as the danjiri moves faster and faster. (Photo by Jonathan Kingston/Aurora)
