The Onbashira Matsuri – Log Riding Festival is an ancient, extremely high-risk Japanese Shinto event held every six years to spiritually renew the Suwa Taisha shrines by installing new sacred pillars. Its fame comes from the breathtaking spectacle of the Ki-otoshi (riding colossal logs down treacherously steep slopes) and the final Tate-onbashira (erecting the massive pillars to serve as new anchors for the deity’s spirit).

The Bosch Parade is a prestigious biennial event that pays tribute to the 15th-century master of the surreal painting, Hieronymus Bosch. It’s a dramatic aquatic theater, featuring spectacular floating art installations and silent theatrical performances. Visitors can enjoy a slow-moving procession of extravagant, semi-submerged sculptures, haunting musical soundscapes, and vibrant artistic celebrations within the temporary ‘Garden of Delights’ festival village.