I wrote about this festival at recent news. It has just begun in Nagano of Japan. People get crazy and hot at this festival.

Looking at the video of this festival below, I really think why people get mad like this even by risking their life.  Actually, this festival’s climax time, sliding the tree poles scenes look really mad and dangerous.  Some people actually died in this festivals in the past but people don’t stop this action.

Rather than escaping from the risk of life, they think it’s honor of them to ride on the tree to the bottom.  This is a real holy event of Japanese, especially in this area.  This festival has been held over 1300 years at least.  The reason why they can risk their life is they have strong mind for their god.  This is not a simple festival but a tribute event to God.

After the tree sliding events, they carry the 8 tree poles in total to the shrine by crossing the river, which is called ” purifying trees for god through water”.  8 tree poles are used to build the shrines by replacing the old 8 main poles.

Who started this festival ?  Nobody knows. As stated in the previous post,  this festival is held at Mount. Moriah ( Moriya ), which is this shrine’s God, and people must cross the river, and they think these tree poles are God.

As usual in Japanese old customs, this is also pointed out that Jewish influence is much in this festival.