Saijo Matsuri

Over several days in October, around 150 decorated festival floats (danjiri) and portable shrines are carried through the streets of Saijo in northern Ehime. A highlight of the festival is the kawairi, or river entry, on October 16. In the afternoon, around 80 festival floats and portable shrines are carried to the banks of the Kamo River which runs between the city and Isono Shrine, the main venue of the festival. As teams attempt to cross the river with the portable shrines to return the residing deities to Isono Shrine, they are surrounded by the danjiri floats, whose bearers try to delay the deities’ return. After some jostling, the portable shrines are delivered safely to the other side of the river, and the event draws to a close.