Shrine Collide at Himeji’s Legendary Kenka Festival

Oct 16, 2025 | News On Japan

HYOGO, Oct 16, 2025 (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.

Takaichi Gets 5 Hours Sleep for 'First Time in a While'

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has drawn criticism over a social media post describing five hours of sleep as a rare luxury, as the extended Diet session prepares to begin Upper House debate on a controversial bill to establish secondary capitals outside Tokyo.

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Mount Fuji Filmed From a Helicopter

Breathtaking 4K footage filmed from a helicopter offers a sweeping aerial view of Mount Fuji and its majestic surrounding landscape.

Japan Scrambles for Oil

A covert network of shuttle tankers is carrying crude through the increasingly dangerous Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran disrupts shipping and raises concerns over how Japan will secure the oil it needs.

Russia Calls Japan-Ukraine Drone Cooperation a Clear Hostile Act

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Enjoy Haneda Airport From Morning to Night

Haneda Airport is emerging as a destination where visitors can spend an entire day, offering aviation-themed attractions, distinctive restaurants, unusual vending machines and observation decks with sweeping views of aircraft taking off and landing.

Inside Asuka III, Japan’s New Luxury Hotel at Sea

Japan’s newest luxury cruise ship, Asuka III, offers passengers the experience of a high-end hotel at sea, combining private balconies, fine dining, Japanese-style bathing and personalized service on voyages around the country.

Rainy Season Ends in Kanto-Koshin

The rainy season ended in the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions on July 20 as strengthening high pressure brought intense heat across Japan, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, and Kofu.

Two-Hour Wait for Nagashima Waterslide

Nagashima Jumbo Seawater Pool in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, was packed with visitors on Marine Day, the final day of a three-day weekend, as families sought relief from intense summer heat following the end of the rainy season in the Tokai region.

Swimmers in Taiji Get Close to Whales

A beach where visitors can swim alongside whales has opened in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, drawing families and children eager to see the animals at close range.

Interactive Ghibli Exhibition Opens in Osaka

An interactive exhibition recreating the world of Studio Ghibli will open at Osaka's ATC complex on July 18, offering visitors of all ages the chance to experience famous scenes and characters from the studio's animated films.

Heavy Rain Floods Railway Tracks in Hokkaido, Cancels 32 Trains

Heavy rain flooded railway tracks in Hokkaido, forcing the cancellation of 32 trains, including limited express services linking Sapporo and Hakodate.

Research Map Shows Japan Faces Scorching Summers

Japan is likely to face increasingly long and dangerously hot summers as global temperatures continue to rise, with advanced climate simulations also pointing to more frequent torrential rain, rising seas and accelerating ice loss by the end of the century.

< 2 3 4 5 >