What is this festival?
Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri is one of Japan’s most unusual winter festivals. This is traditional centuries-old Shinto festival. Thousands of nearly naked men wearing traditional loincloths rush ( almost naked ) into Konomiya Shrine in Inazawa city, competing to touch the “Shin Otoko,” a sacred man believed to absorb bad luck and bring good fortune for the year.
Why they were naked
The word “hadaka” means “naked,” but participants are not completely naked. They wear traditional Japanese loincloths called fundoshi. The minimal clothing symbolizes purity and humility in Shinto tradition.
What are they going to do?
In Shinto tradition in Japan, certain ages are believed to bring bad luck. It is said that by touching the Shin Otoko (the sacred man), participants can transfer their misfortune to him and rid themselves of bad luck. For this reason, many men who are considered to be in unlucky age groups gather at the festival and try to touch the Shin Otoko.
The Shin Otoko makes his way toward a shrine building called the Naoiden, while being protected by men who served as Shin Otoko in previous years. However, his progress is not easy, as large crowds of participants block his path.
Local firefighters also take part in the event, wearing only traditional loincloths and carrying buckets of water. They splash water onto the crowd of nearly naked men to clear a path for the Shin Otoko. Although the festival takes place during the cold winter season, the heat from the men and the friction of the crowd quickly turns the water into rising steam.
One of the highlights of the festival is the dramatic climax when the Shin Otoko finally reaches the shrine building. At that moment, a Shinto priest pulls him up into the hall.
It is a crazy festival, but its intensity and power are truly overwhelming.
