A Shinto tradition, this street festival culminates in a battle of the
Mikoshi's. There are 2 Mikoshi's for each Shrine. One is a Mikoshi for
parade. It is the one for show. The other Mikoshi is the one for battle.
It is identical to the show version except it is toughened up for
battle. Inside the battle Mikoshi, the gods are wrapped in rope for
protection and the delicate ornaments on the exterior are removed. The
battles are quite real and people do get hurt. It is not unusual for
participants to be taken away in an ambulance. It is a rowdy time and
pretty much everyone is drunk on sake and beer.
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| Ceremonial Sake |
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| War Mikoshi |
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| Shinto Shrine of Mikoshi |
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| Shinto Priestess |
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| Decorative Mikoshi |
