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Shrine Collide at Himeji’s Legendary Kenka Festival

HYOGO, Oct 16 (News On Japan) - The Nada Kenka Festival, famous for its dramatic clashes of mikoshi (portable shrines), was held in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, drawing large crowds of spectators eager to witness this centuries-old ritual.

The annual autumn event, staged at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in the city’s Shirahama district, is known for its raw intensity, earning it the nickname “Nada Kenka Festival.” On October 15th, the festival’s main event, known as “Mikoshi Awase,” saw three shrines slammed against each other with tremendous force. Tradition holds that the more the shrines are damaged, the more it pleases the gods, and with powerful chants and shouts echoing through the grounds, men wearing traditional mawashi loincloths lifted the heavy mikoshi high and crashed them together with spectacular force. Each time a shrine toppled or splintered with a loud crack, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause, celebrating a centuries-old ritual that channels devotion through sheer physical might.

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