Hadaka Matsuri - A Naked Man Festival

By Viveka Tizmi.

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Hadaka Matsuri

A Hadaka Matsuri, a Naked Man Festival is held in many places throughout Japan every year usually in the summer or winter. Around 9000 men, wearing just a Japanese loincloth, take a part in hopes of gaining luck for the entire year. The most famous festival is the Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri held at Saidaiji Temple in Okayama, where the festival originated.

Shinto Traditions and Beliefs

Shinto (Japan's major religion alongside Buddhism) traditions believe that the Naked Man (Shin-otokoa) absorbs all bad luck and evil deeds from the men who touch him. One person is chosen to be the Shin-otoko, the symbol of the festival, and he is completely shaven and completely naked. The other participants wearing a minimum amount of clothing, usually just a Japanese loincloth run after him, trying to touch him to receive good luck.

A Hadaka Matsuri Festival

It is a great honour to be chosen as the Shin-otokoa. After elaborating purification rituals, which includes of shaving off all his body hair, he then sets off through the streets, besieged by over 9000 men, all desperate to touch him or grab any available part of his body. Only the men dressed in loincloths and sandals are allowed to touch the Naked Man.

Special bodyguards along the route splash freezing water over the participants as the Naked Man appears near. It could take an hour or more before procession arrives to destination and Naked Man can pay his respects to the Shinto deity of the shrine. Once he is dressed he is then shooed out of town to rid the town of all evil.

Hadaka Matsuri Video