William Valid concerns have been raised regarding the maltreatment of horses during the Fujisaki Hachimangu Autumn Festival (藤崎八旛宮秋季例大祭, popularly known as “boshita”). In addition, I find the seemingly endless procession repetitive and lacking in creativity. There is, though, a work-around: Get up at 4:00 and head straight to the shrine to watch the preparations. All is eerily quiet save for the clanking of armor and the whinnying of nervous horses dimly aware that this is turning out to be not an average day. If lucky, you can observe the mayor (or is it governor?), who leads the procession, mount his steed. It is photography heaven. Afterwards, go home and back to bed. If you’d like, you can go back in the evening to watch the exhausted procession return. The procession itself begins at 6:00. Photo nabbed from this site: beautiful-world-kyushu.com/fujisakigu/