Two killed and 16 injured as festival floats overturn in western Japan

Two men were killed and 16 others injured on Saturday when traditional danjiri festival floats overturned during autumn festivals in two cities in Japan’s western Osaka Prefecture, local police said.

The fatalities occurred in Izumisano and Izumiotsu, where the men were crushed beneath the floats as participants manoeuvred them around road intersections. Seven people were injured in Izumisano and nine in Izumiotsu, according to Osaka prefectural police.

The accidents are believed to have occurred during yarimawashi, a festival manoeuvre in which teams of participants pull large floats around corners at high speed. Police are investigating the circumstances of both incidents.

Two fatal accidents hours apart

The first accident occurred at about 10.55am in Izumisano, where a danjiri overturned while turning right at an intersection.

A 51-year-old company executive from the city was trapped beneath the float and later died in hospital, according to Japanese media reports. Seven other male participants, aged between 10 and 59, sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.

A second accident occurred at about 1.20pm in Izumiotsu, when another float overturned after turning right at an intersection.

A 48-year-old corporate worker from neighbouring Izumi city was crushed beneath the float and died. Nine other male participants, aged between 10 and 69, sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.

The two incidents left 18 participants dead or injured in total. No spectators were hurt in either accident, according to police.

Victims were helping to stabilise floats

The two men who died had been riding alongside the floats in roles that involved using their body weight to help maintain balance, Japanese broadcaster Asahi TV reported.

Both floats are believed to have lost their balance during yarimawashi, a prominent feature of the festivals in which participants pull the structures around corners at speed.

The manoeuvre requires participants to coordinate their movements as they guide the floats through turns. The two men were positioned at the sides of the floats to help prevent them from overturning, according to The Japan Times.

The accidents occurred shortly after the floats turned at intersections. Images from the Izumisano incident showed a fence apparently bent by the impact of the overturned float.

Traditional floats weigh about four tonnes

Danjiri are large, traditional festival floats used in local autumn festivals in Osaka Prefecture. They are pulled through streets by teams of participants amid festival chants, drums and flutes.

The floats involved in the accidents were approximately four metres tall and weighed around four tonnes.

The yarimawashi manoeuvre is a highlight of the festivals, but the speed at which the floats are pulled around corners can leave participants at risk of losing their balance.

The festivals draw activity into local streets, where participants guide the heavy structures through turns and intersections.

Osaka prefectural police are investigating both accidents to determine why the floats overturned.

Authorities have not announced a definitive cause for either incident in the reports provided.

The two accidents occurred during autumn festival events held across Osaka Prefecture on Saturday, underscoring the risks involved in manoeuvring the heavy floats through street intersections.