Festival cars can have a role similar to portable shrines as an object to which a spirit is drawn, or are elegantly decorated for dedication, and shishimai and dancing, which can be categorized as Shinji mai (shinji dance) and hono-mai (Shinto dance for dedication), are both carried out mainly by shrine parishioners, and in the case of hono, towns of shrine parishioners often compete against one another by elaborating on elegance and style of execution.
山車には神輿に近い依り代の役割を持ったものと奉納の風流があり、獅子舞や舞踏にも神事舞と奉納舞があるが、どちらの場合も氏子が中心に運行されており、特に奉納の場合は氏子各町が華やかさや運行形態に趣向を凝らし、競い合いっていることが多い。