Naked Festival set for full revival after four years

Nov 22, 2023 | News On Japan

OKAYAMA - In the crowded halls of the Nishi-Achiyama Kannon-in Temple in Okayama City, men, completely devoid of clothing, press tightly against each other. This is the famous "Naked Festival."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival's main event, the "Battle for the Sacred Stick," was suspended. However, in February 2024, after a four-year hiatus, the festival is set to return to its traditional format.

In 2023, the event saw a quiet end without the usual scramble, as the sacred stick was simply dropped onto a cloth below where men waited, avoiding any conflict.

Traditionally, the man who successfully catches the sacred stick is deemed the "Lucky Man." This usually results in a fierce tussle among the participants, a struggle that shows no signs of abating, often spilling out of the temple.

The 2024 revival of the battle for the sacred stick might serve as an outlet for four years of pent-up frustration.

To prevent accidents, the organizers plan to enforce stricter alcohol checks and adjust the timing for entering the temple grounds, aiming to shorten the duration of the scramble.

Source: FNNプライムオンライン

POPULAR NEWS

Shibuya Tightens Halloween Security

Halloween celebrations are taking place across Japan ahead of October 31, which falls on a Saturday for the first time in six years, with Tokyo's Shibuya district introducing crowd-control measures including barricades around the Hachiko statue and road closures, while Tama Zoological Park has reopened its lion exhibit after seven animals recovered from heatstroke.

Toyota to Launch Self-Driving Taxis in 2027

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Golden Ginkgo Tunnel Lights Up Sapporo

Hokkaido University's famous ginkgo avenue in Sapporo has reached its peak autumn color, attracting residents and tourists to the campus ahead of the two-day Hokudai Golden Leaf Festival on October 31 and November 1, an event that drew 35,000 visitors last year.

Wakayama's Famous Sea Rocks Come Alive After Dark

A spectacular illumination of the Hashigui Rocks, a nationally designated natural monument in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, is set to begin on October 30, transforming a series of unusual coastal rock formations into a colorful nighttime attraction.

Japan's First Wintry Blast Brings Snow and Freezing Winds

Japan's first major cold spell of the season brought snow, freezing winds and record-low autumn temperatures across the country, with 639 observation points registering their coldest readings of the season on October 29, while forecasts issued that evening indicated that temperatures would recover on October 30 as rain spread across much of the country.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

Early Snow Blankets Japan as Winter Arrives Ahead of November

Japan's first significant snowfall of the season has brought winter conditions to Hokkaido and northern Honshu, with snow depths exceeding 10 centimeters in several mountain and inland locations on October 28, while a fresh wave of cold air is expected to bring further snowfall over the weekend of October 31 and November 1.

Osaka's Tsutenkaku Tower Celebrates 70th Anniversary

Osaka's iconic Tsutenkaku Tower celebrated the 70th anniversary of its reopening on October 28, marking seven decades since the landmark was rebuilt in 1956 as a symbol of the city's postwar recovery, while new attractions continue to draw visitors to the surrounding Shinsekai entertainment district.

Strong Earthquake Shakes Narita Airport

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture at around 12:07 a.m. on October 29, registering a maximum intensity of 5-lower on Japan's seven-level seismic scale and sending tremors across a wide area of eastern and central Japan, including Narita Airport, where footage captured the moment of shaking.

Japan's Tax-Free Shopping Overhaul to Reshape Inbound Tourism Strategies

Japan will introduce a major overhaul of its tax-free shopping system for foreign visitors on November 1, replacing immediate tax exemptions at stores with a refund system that requires travelers to pay the full consumption tax upfront and claim reimbursement when leaving the country, a change expected to reshape retail strategies and purchasing behavior across the tourism industry.

< 2 3 4 5 >