Matsubara Suiei-Jo Beach, Shiga

Have you ever dreamed of flying like a bird? The annual Birdman Rally is where these dreams come to fly, or flop, as hundreds of competitors gather at Lake Biwa to test fly their human-powered aircraft. The participants, ranging from university students to veteran aeronautic enthusiasts, spend months and years hand-building the aircraft from scratch. While most attempts end in an unfortunate dive into the water, the skilled few glide as far as a few hundred meters. Witness the hopeful challengers fly off the lake jetty! Will they fly or will they flop?