The “Daijayama Festival” is a time-honored tradition that has been celebrated from the Edo period in Omuta, a city once known for its prosperous coal mining industry. The centerpiece of this event, the “Daijayama,” are enormous snake-like creations that can be seen throughout the city.
Among these, the “Gion Rokuzan” floats are particularly notable, with six of them each measuring about 10 meters long, 5 meters high, and weighing up to 3 tons. These floats are intricately decorated with Japanese paper, bamboo, straw, and other materials. As they parade through the town, they emit fire from their mouths and are accompanied by the resonating sounds of drums and bells.
Local tradition states that placing a child into the mouth of the giant snake will ensure their good health for a year, with louder cries from the child supposedly bringing greater luck. The festival culminates in the “So Odori” dance, a spectacle featuring 10,000 citizens dancing in a 2 km line. The grand finale involves a parade of the colossal snake structures made in the outskirts of Omuta, offering a memorable end to the festival.
• 7/27 (Sat.) 17:00~21:45, 7/28 (Sun.) 17:00~22:00
• Free viewing
• Taisho-machi Festival Hiroba
• Taisho-machi, Omuta City, Fukuoka
• http://www.omuta-daijayama.com/
