The Naked Man Festival

Monday afternoon I finally saw one of the most bizarre festivals in the world. The infamous Naked Man Festival in Inazawa City.


Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Man Festival)

I've been trying to see it for years, but for one reason or another I've always missed it. Last year I even tried to participate, but that's a different story for a different time.



I wish I fully understood the historical significance behind the festival, so I could explain why grown men get extremely drunk & naked to go parading down the street in the dead of winter during sub zero temps, but the whole thing makes very little sense to me.



I know it has something to do with 43 year old men and the belief that it's a bad luck year. Supposedly, if a 43 year old man join this festival, it will help bring good luck to him and his family, but judging by some of the characters involved, the whole thing just seems like a great excuse for anybody to get belligerently drunk in public.



My friend Jason and I showed up to the festival a little late after eating lunch in a local resident's house. Soon after walking out to the street I was offered to guzzle sake straight out of the carton by a one eyed, elder Japanese man. When I humbly declined the offer, he vehemently insisted.


Entering the Temple

All the madness in the streets eventually finds it's way to a temple in the middle of the city.

From what I hear, one poor guy is selected beforehand by a lottery to bear the burden of everyone's bad luck. He is completely striped, shaved, and painted white. Then, at an unsuspecting moment, he appears outside the temple with the task of trying to get inside. It's everyone else's task to touch this unlucky bastard to bring themselves good luck and prevent him from making it to his goal.


Buckets

These guys with buckets have the important job of clearing the way and washing away all the bad spirits. They do so by spreading ice cold water all over the already freezing naked guys and anyone in the crowd that might be standing nearby.


Idiot w/ squid

Jason and I were eventually distracted by this guy waving some squid around. He gave intoxicated a whole new meaning when he started trying to speak English and sing "London Bridge is Falling Down" complete with some weird robot dance.


I love how this photo makes him look like he's got a pencil thin mustache

This guy was just too much and he scared off the locals we were with, so Jason and I decided to split too.

Maybe someday, I'll think of a better way to describe this debauchery, but for the time being, I'm still just scratching my head.