Tsujimawashi( turn by pulling)the highlight of the Gion Festival!
Hi I’m Nobu, I like traveling overseas and in Japan, visited 25 countries!
I’m a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of English for 8 years.
I show you hidden Japan which you have never seen and heard of!
Tsujimawashi( turn by pulling)
Tsujikawashi can be seen during the Yamaboko (floats) procession at the Gion Festival.
It is a 90-degree turn to change the direction of the float, which weighs as much as 12 tons.
This is because the float has no steering wheel and cannot turn by itself.
How to pull
Under the 2m big wheel, a thinly split piece of green bamboos are placed.
Water is sprinkled on top of it to make it slide better.
After that, 20-30 people pull the floats to turn the float .
They pull it with the yell of “Yoi yoi yoitose yoitose! ‘.
Then the float is pulled vigorously.
The float then slides sideways and changes direction.
This is repeated 3-4 times to change direction 90 degrees.
When the float completes the 90-degree turn, the crowd cheers.
This is the most powerful moment in the elegant Gion Festival.
There are 3 Tsujimawashi places during the parade.
I chose to see the Tsujimawashi place ‘ Shinmachi-oike, because the Shinmachi street is very narrow and we can see it very close.
It’s really dynamic!!k
Why don’t you come and see the Gion festival Tsujimawashi (turn by pulling)up close?
I’m Nobu, one enjoy together!!!