Kishiwada & Haruki Danjiri Markets

An intoxicating mix of excitement and surprise

By Bonson Lam

Community writer

Boys with flutes at the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, which is on the weekend before the third September each year.

Little girl mesmerized by the shopkeeper

Young Yukata clad boy lost in a candy hued store

Danjiri are enormous carts that are driven by daredevil runners around the streets, and much like the running bulls of Pamplona, draw enormous crowds with its mixture of excitement and danger. The towns of Kishiwada and Haruki are known for the most famous danjiri festivals in all of Japan, so much so that their calendars starts on danjiri month, being in September. The Kispa La Park in Haruki as well as Kishiwada's old town are popular vantage spots for the danjiri. Each neighborhood is responsible for its own danjiri, and have unique decorations. A whole industry of craftsmen exists to support the design, construction and maintenance of the danjiri. At night the market stalls are lit up with lanterns, parlor games and kids of young and old in yukata, a light summer version of the kimono. The festival is held on the weekend before the third September each year.