Niihama Taiko Festival新居浜太鼓祭り

The Niihama Taiko festival, also known as the drum festival, is an annual event held from October 16th to 18th in the city of Niihama, Ehime Prefecture. Its purpose is to express gratitude for a bountiful autumn harvest, and it is considered one of the largest festivals in the Shikoku region. The festival takes place in six areas of Niihama city and is believed to have originated during the Heian or Kamakura period.

The highlight of the festival is the taiko drum floats, or taikodai, which are paraded through the streets of the city. These floats can reach up to 5.5 meters in height and 12 meters in length, weighing approximately 3 tons. The taikodai consists of an internal wooden frame with a huge drum installed inside, and it is carried by 150 men, known as kakifu, using four large poles made from cedar trees. Additionally, eight men coordinate the movement of the floats, with four standing on the poles and giving signals to the carriers using whistles and flags, while the other four men sit atop the float. Inside the float, a drummer plays the huge taiko. Due to the large number of men involved, the festival is commonly referred to as the "Otoko Matsuri" or "Men's Festival."

Each taikodai is designed and sponsored by a Niihama neighborhood and typically features dozens of paper lanterns, with depictions of legends, animals, and traditional ornaments in gold and silver. The kakikurabe, where the floats are taken around the town to entertain the crowd, is a highlight of the festival. Every other year, the festival takes to the water with a parade of taikodai on barges in the sea, called funamiyuki, which is believed to represent a prayer for a good haul of fish.