Buddhika Weerasinghe: Nada Fight Festival 2012

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara (front), Nakamura (center) and Kiga shrines, carry Yatai (portable shrines) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

©Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of (from left) Yaka , Mega, Usazaki and Nakamura shrines, jolt their Yatai, (portable shrines) against one another during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Yaka shrine, carry Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Yaka carry their Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara carry Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara removes god of Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara carry team flag during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara carry a Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners carry Yatai (portable shrines) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine on October 14, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Usazaki (left), Mega (center) and Matsubara (R) shrines, carry Yatai (portable shrines) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Usazaki (left), Mega (center) and Matsubara (R) shrines, jolt their Yatai, (portable shrines) against one another during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Nakamura (L) carry thier Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners jolt their Mikoshi, (portable shrines) against one another during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Usazaki (L), Mega (R) and Yaka shrines, jolt their Yatai, (portable shrines) against one another during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara carry thier Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Kiba carry Yatai (portable shrine) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners after taking part in a ceremony which saw them jolt their Mikoshi, (portable shrines) against one another during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara (Left), Nakamura (center) and Kiga shrines, carry Yatai (portable shrines) during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)

Japanese Shrine Parishioners of Matsubarai (front) and Nakamura shrines, jolt their Yatai, (portable shrines) against one another during a parade as part of the Nada No Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fight Festival) at Matsubara on October 15, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Each Yatai weighs approximately two tonnes. The parade is the highlight of the shrine's Autumn Harvest Festival and attracts roughly 100,000 people. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)