2004 Holy Log Pole Festival

April 9, 2004 8:35 AM

Yamadashi, the first part of the Onbashira Matsuri, a septennial shinto festival in the Nagano Prefecture, involves hauling a bunch of 200 year old fir trees out of the forest and then perilously riding them down the hillside (locals only, all you extreme sports nuts) in preparation for May's Satobiki. O-hanami this is not.
posted by shoepal (5 comments total)

wow. this shinto is some diety, able to manifest new 200 year old trees in a mere seven year span. and we thought christ was cool cuz he could water ski.
posted by quonsar at 9:06 AM on April 9, 2004

Silence, mortal!
posted by planetkyoto at 9:28 AM on April 9, 2004

On the news last night they showed the first part of this festival, where they haul out these big trees that they'll use next month for the logjammin' festival. Not a good way to die, if you ask me. More sakura and beer, please.
posted by planetkyoto at 9:42 AM on April 9, 2004

Is that all you can muster, Sir Q?
posted by shoepal at 9:51 AM on April 9, 2004

Very cool. Thanks, shoepal.
Is it just me, or is Shinto associated with significantly more Really Cool Things than other religions? You don't hear about the Baptists next door going log-surfing or carrying half-ton portable churches around...
posted by mote at 8:39 PM on April 9, 2004