Nishinomiya Jinja

This is a Shinto shrine aka Nishinomiya Ebisu. Ebisu is a sekt of Shinto. It is famous for the Tōka-Ebisu festival, which is held on January 10 every year. Particular to this festival is the "Lucky Men" race (Fuku-otoko-erabi). Begun during the Edo period, participants gather in front of the shrine's main gate before 6 am on 10 January. At 6 am, the shrine's drum sounds, the gates are opened, and the assembled crowd sprints perilously 230 meters to the main hall. Here is how it happens:

The top three finishers are given the title of "Lucky Men", and of those three the champion is known as the "Luckiest Man". The race has been known to attract more than 6,000 runners. The fist photo reminds me at Walmart opening on Black Friday. Same facial expressions. Same dedication. Some more photos of the shrine: