This is not the sort of thing you see every day.

This is not the sort of thing you see every day. (Photo: Rod Walters)

Omikoshi Soneri

The great festival exhibition at Matsuyama Castle

Anonymous May 13, 2012 - 1 min read

This is not the sort of thing you see every day.

Throughout the event, a massed group of drummers lays down a countless variety of rhythms.

This is an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down. Or put it up in huge bouffant displays.

The Ushioni—devil bull—is a sight to behold.

When the Ushioni is at rest, he's safe for tots to sit on.

Some tots are armed, which is only fitting because...

battle is done at the festival. A fighting shrine heads towards its clash with a similar shrine.

No fighting for this effete, prancing, dancing 'Edo' shrine.

For the finale, the mayor of Matsuyama and governor of Ehime are jiggled about on shrines until they're dizzy.

Above it all, the castle stands serenely tranquil.

On the first Sunday of May, a general exhibition of Ehime's various festivals is held in the grounds of Matsuyama Castle. It features Ushioni and fighting shrines, which are smashed violently into each other.

Anonymous @rod.walters__archived

I was born in Bristol, England, and I came to Japan in 1991 … which means I’ve lived half my life in this island nation on the other side of the world. The theme of my career in Japan has been communication. I started as an English teacher, and moved into translation as I learned Japanese....