Hadaka Matsuri

Hadaka Matsuri or "Naked Festival" is a traditional Japanese event held each year on the 17th February in Konomiya Shrine located in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture. The event has been going on for more than 1,200 years. Each year some 300,000 people visit Inazawa to watch the Hadaka Matsuri.

Hadaka Matsuri

More than 10,000 participants, wearing only a loincloth ("fundoshi"), follow a Shin-otoko or "Naked Man" along city streets. The Naked Man symbolizes the evil. But on the other side it means good luck if you touch him. It is a great honour to be Shin-otoko. Just before the festival he gets huge rice cake called "mochi."

Hadaka Matsuri in Inazawa is not the only one in Japan. Hadaka Matsuri festivals are held all over the country. Let's just mention two of them. There is one organized on the 14th January in Kyoto and the one on the 3rd February in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture.