Society

Shrines Clash at 'Nada Kenka Festival'

Himeji, Oct 16 (News On Japan) - The 'Nada Kenka Festival,' renowned for its fierce clashes between portable shrines, took place in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, attracting large crowds of spectators.

This autumn festival, held annually at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in Shirahama, Himeji, is known for its wild and intense nature, which has earned it the nickname 'Nada Kenka Festival.'

On October 15th, the main event of the festival, the 'Mikoshi Clash,' was held, where three portable shrines violently collided with one another.

The more a shrine is damaged, the more it is believed to be in line with the will of the gods. Men dressed in traditional mawashi loincloths shouted battle cries as they boldly smashed the shrines together.

Each time a shrine toppled or shattered with a loud crash, the crowd erupted.

Source: YOMIURI

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