tch Where to Wa the Oiyama on July 15 Best Seats in the House!
Since the final Oiyama race is spread out over a 5 km route, there’s no bad place to watch the event, but here’s our top tips on where to get the best view:
Take It All In
Try Higashimachi-suji, the street parallel to Taihaku-dori: it slopes down toward the port, so a spot near the bottom at the intersection with Meiji-dori allows for a nice view of the floats coming from quite a distance away. Be careful, though, as the street is quite narrow!
Double the Fun
The intersection of Showa-dori and Taihaku-dori is a good place to see the floats more than once. Catch them a second time as they race down parallel streets.
Gentlemen, Start Your Floats
If you want to watch the race from the starting line, stake out a spot in front of Kushida Jinja Shrine no later than 4 am (the earlier the better). After watching three or four starts, move to another place along the route for a different view.
Avoid the Crush
If you hate crowds or can’t manage waking up so early, try and catch one of the pre-Oiyama race events. Usually held in the late afternoon hours, they are less crowded than Oiyama. The stronger afternoon light also makes it easier to capture the action on camera.
Photography Tip!
Water is thrown as the teams run by; bring a bag or cloth to protect your camera!