Contributed articles [*This article is reprinted from the Nagaoka Citizen Cooperation Centre [Nagaoka Citizen Reporter Musubitai] column.
On 16 August 2015, the 24th All-Japan Log Early Cutting Championship was held in the Mishima area of Nagaoka.
The All-Japan Log Cutting Championship is a competition to see how fast you can cut down a log using a giant saw.
The logs to be cut down are cedar trees from Nagaoka City, 20 cm in diameter for the primary schools division and 30 cm in diameter for the women's and general divisions.
The saw used is an unusual double-edged saw for a pair of people.
Anyone can participate as long as they bring a broom to clean up after the competition, although advance registration is required.
Those who make it through to the end of the qualifying rounds with flying colours will be awarded with great prizes and honours.
A true Mishiman dream!
Why did the All-Japan Log Early Cutting Championships start here in the Mishima region?
The forests that make up approximately 60% of the Mishima region's eye-seat and the Wakinomachi saws that have been a tradition in the Mishima region since the Edo period, were used to create this event. This event was created after much thought and consideration.
This summer marks the 27th year since the event was first held in 1991, and last year 187 groups from inside and outside the prefecture took part.
Thanks to this, it has become a familiar event in the Mishima region.
Unlike last year, which had to be cancelled in tears due to thunderstorms, this year was a perfect day for log cutting.
The tournament started with the pledge of allegiance by the two-time consecutive champions.
The competition has three divisions. Masked man division, happi division and paired look division!
Not at ....... The event was held in the general division of strength and skill, the women's division of glamour and the energetic primary school children's division.
Cutting a log once is not the end of the process, you have to do multiple qualifying rounds while removing sweat and make-up.
The winner of the women's category with class and power was 'A☆L'.
The winner of the primary schools category with energy and determination was 'W Yuu'.
The main event of the competition, the general finals, was a cedar tree with a diameter of more than 80 cm, which the contestants had to cut and fight to the death.
Team H, who brilliantly captured the Mishiman Dream by winning the general category for the third year in a row.
Will he win the 25th All-Japan Log Cutting Championship for the fourth year in a row? Or revenge for a runner-up finish? An unseen challenger?
Mishima log cutters represented the Mishima region at the Honolulu Festival in Hawaii in 2014, where they had a chance to experience the All-Japan Log Early Cutting Championships.
It was a surprisingly large turnout, and we, the organising committee, felt a solid response.
We are now looking forward to the All-Japan Log Cutting Championships, the Japan-US Log Cutting Championships, the Pacific Rim Log Cutting Championships, and even the World Log Cutting Championships.
The only question now is whether it will be ready in time for the Tokyo Olympics.
We will start recruiting participants and volunteers to run the conference around the end of June 2016, so please join us!
We look forward to seeing you at the next conference on 16 August 2016!
[Author profile].
Ken Oshima Ironworks Ltd.
Vice-Chairman of the All-Japan Log Cutting Championships
Born and raised in Wakino-cho, Nagaoka
...Good at... Eating good food with relish.
Contributed articles [*This article is reprinted from the Nagaoka Citizen Cooperation Centre [Nagaoka Citizen Reporter Musubitai] column.
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*The content of this article is correct at the time of interview and submission, but the accuracy of the information is not guaranteed. For the latest information, please check directly with the interviewed party.
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