Festival Float Accidents in Two Japan Cities: Two Men Crushed, Sixteen Others Injured During Pull

Kishiwada, Japan— Two men were killed and sixteen others injured after traditional festival floats overturned and crushed participants during danjiri events held in two separate cities.

The first accident occurred in the afternoon when a heavy wooden float, pulled by dozens of men at speed, tipped on a tight corner. The float, which can weigh several tons, fell onto the team guiding its front beam. Emergency teams rushed in as bystanders tried to lift the structure.

The second incident was reported less than an hour later in another city, with a similar pattern. Witness video shows the float leaning sharply during a turn, then crashing onto its side. Participants were caught underneath. Screams prompted nearby police to call for ambulances.

Local authorities confirmed two fatalities, one at each site. The injured were taken to hospitals with fractures and head injuries. At least two were listed in serious condition by evening. Ages of the victims ranged from 20s to 50s.

Danjiri festivals are a long-standing tradition where neighborhoods compete to pull elaborately carved floats through narrow streets at high speed. Turns are deliberate showpieces. That speed and weight create risk when a wheel hits uneven ground or the pull rope slackens.

"They were pulling hard into the corner, the float lifted," a witness in Kishiwada said. "People tried to hold it but it was too heavy. It went over in a second." Organizers halted the remaining runs after the accidents.

Police in both cities opened investigations and cordoned off the sections where the floats fell. They are examining wheel condition, road surface, and how many people were assigned to braking ropes. Festival committees said they had conducted safety briefings that morning.

Municipal officials said the festivals had drawn large crowds after years of restricted events. The return of full-scale pulling meant heavier floats and more participants than in recent editions. Some residents called for limits on speed through corners.

Medical teams remained at festival headquarters in case of further injuries during cleanup. Floats were secured where they fell and will not be moved until inspectors complete measurements.

Both cities suspended all danjiri events for the night while safety checks continue.