Fight Festival
Japan's risky annual fight festival
Japanese men risk life and limb in a huge fight festival to commemorate an important naval battle.
Groups of men carry ‘portable’ shrines, each weighing around two tons. The shrines are then crashed into each other mimicking the crashing of the boats. “It’s such a joy to participate, I want to keep taking part for as long as I live,” proclaims one participant. Serious injuries are commonplace but, apart from the men with the cracked skulls or crushed limbs, everyone enjoys themselves.
Produced by ABC Australia.
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