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The Beginning of Hadaka Matsuri
The Naked Festival evolved from a ritual that started 500 years ago during the Muromachi Period (1338-1573), when villagers competed to grab paper talismans, which were given out by a priest at the Saidaiji Kannonin Temple. -
The Event
The most famous part of the festival is when the "shin-otoko" (神男) enter the stage and has to find a way back to the shrine, called "naoiden". the participating men must try and touch the "shin-otoko" to transfer their bad luck to the "shin-otoko". -
Behind the Ritual
During the night time ceremony, all the bad luck is transferred in a charcoal coloured giant mochi. The black mochi is made with rice mixed with the ashes of the burned Omamori from last year. The mochi is then buried in a secret location in the nearby forest.[1]
The men participating only wear a fundoshi and tabi. -
Who attends
The most famous festival is the Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri held in Okayama, where the festival originated over 500 years ago. Every year, over 9,000 men participate in this festival[3] in hopes of gaining luck for the entire year. -
The change
The Shingi Touka climax is the main event at Hadaka Matsuri, where thousands of men compete for sacred Shingi sticks that are released into the temple crowds. Just before 10pm, all lights at the main temple hall are cut, serving to stir up the anticipation to fever-pitch levels. At 10pm, one hundred small kushigo sticks are released into the crowd, before the chief priest drops two coveted Shingi sticks into the crowds at bay. -
Where it is now
The Naked Man festival is set up online where many people set their attendance if they are going. Because of this it is currently booming in popularity despite the pandemic.