If the kites separate from each other before a rope is broken, the match is deemed "nakiwakare" (泣き別れ, A tearful parting) and there is no winner. If the rope is not broken within the set time limit, the match is a draw, and both sides receive half a point. ![]() If the rope is broken, the winner is awarded with one point. They continue fighting like this until one of the ropes is broken. The Eastern side flies their kite low in the sky, while the Western side crosses the rope of their kite over the Eastern side's kite and slams it headlong into the river water. The kites used in the Shirone Kite Battle are as large as 44 square meters (~470 square feet) and weigh a whopping 50 kg (110 lbs.). The kite that remains standing is the winner. The kites are flown from both banks, and pitted against each other until the other kite's rope is broken. The Shirone Giant Kite Battle is divided into six groups from the east (Shirone side) and seven groups from the west (Nishishirone side) across the Nakanokuchi River. Shirone Giant Kite Battle Rules and How Winners Are Decided Kites are flown high to celebrate the birth children and to wish that prayers for a bountiful harvest will reach the heavens. ![]() Like festivals in other parts of Japan, the Shirone Giant Kite Battle is also symbolic in nature. This story is said to be how the event started. People on the Nishishirone side, angered by this, began to fly their own kites in an attempt to knock down the kites of the Shirone side. However, the kites fell on the Nishishirone side, the other side of the river, resulting in damage to some fields. It began when people on the Shirone side of the Nakanokuchi River flew kites to celebrate the completion of the Nakanokuchi River embankment repair work. ![]() The origin of the Shirone Giant Kite Battle dates back to the middle-Edo period (1603-1868 AD). It's a well-known festival that signals the arrival of early summer in Niigata. The Shirone Giant Kite Battle, held in Shirone, Niigata, is a tradition with 300 years of history. Why Is the Shirone Giant Kite Battle Held? A Look at the History of the Event Even today, they can be enjoyed at a wide variety of Japanese festivals and other events. In the past, kites were incredibly popular in Japan, to the point that they were a common cause of damage to residences. Japanese kites are often decorated with traditional imagery, such as samurai. They are made by affixing Japanese paper to a bamboo frame, and often come in a rectangular shape, although some regions of Japan have hexagonal kites, etc. Kites, called "tako" (凧) in Japanese, are said to have been introduced to Japan by the Heian Period (794 - 1185). Be sure to check out the video before reading along to see how the history and tradition of the Shirone Giant Kite Battle has been passed down from generation to generation. The sight of these giant kites fighting in the air is very exciting to watch. The video shows the competition between the East Army's Otaka and Yakusha groups and the West Army's Kenshin and Isshin Tasuke groups. Thirteen groups of kites, divided into Eastern and Western forces, crash their kites into one another and compete for victory or defeat in this heroic festival. The Shirone Giant Kite Battle is held every year in early June in Shirone, Niigata and in Nishi-shirone, Niigata, in Japan's Koshin'etsu Region. This video, titled "Shirane Kite Battle 2022, June 5, 2022|Giant Kites Dancing in the Sky|Otaka group vs. Shirone Giant Kite Battle 2022: Video Introduction
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