2. Onbashira Festival, Japan

Men ride the logs down the mountainside as part of the journey to the shrines. [Photo/Australiaplus.com/Chinese]

Every six years in April and May, huge logs are selected from trees in mountain forests in the Lake Suwa region and transported by hand to the smaller shrines of Suwa Taisha.

Part of the journey includes Kiotoshi, where local men climb aboard the logs and endeavour to stay on as they slide down the steep mountainside.

Injuries and deaths have occurred during the festival in past years, though being killed by one of the trees is considered to be an honourable death.

The festival is next due to be held in 2016.

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