Matsuri float

In Japanese festivals, a Matsuri float—often called a dashi or sansha—is a type of float that is either pulled or carried during a festival in Japan. Alongside yatai and mikoshi, dashi are one of the three major structures found at these celebrations. Regional names for these floats vary widely, with common terms including kasaboko, danjiri, yamahoko, yamakasa, and hikimono; sometimes dashi and yatai are also referred to as hikiyama, while yama (as in Gion Matsuri) specifically denotes a type of carried float, distinct from pulled dashi.

Originally designed to resemble mountains, dashi floats reflect the tradition of mountain worship, where spirits were believed to dwell in peaks. Spears and swords atop the dashi act as markers for these divine spirits, and people ride on the floats to welcome the gods. Dashi have wheels, are pulled by people, and can carry passengers. In contrast, a mikoshi is used to transport kami (gods) during a procession called shinko-shiki, and is carried on people’s shoulders rather than pulled.

People are not allowed to ride on a mikoshi because it is only for gods. Dashi floats appear in many Japanese festivals, such as the Takayama Matsuri in Gifu Prefecture, where ten dashi parade through the city both day and night. The Kanda Matsuri has both dashi floats and mikoshi, with people wearing traditional clothes walking through the streets.