In my last post I promised a part two, covering the hadaka matsuri or “naked festival” I took part in for my birthday this year.
If you’re curious about the history/meaning of this festival, please see my previous post.
If you mainly just want to see weird pictures and hear about drinking booze and moshing around in the snow, please read on.
Just after changing and taking our first shots of Nihonshu (“saké”) for good luck.
The snow-laden path to the shrine, which all participants ran in nothing more than their traditional loin cloths, “fundoshi,” and rice straw, “wara,” sandals.
Entrance to Sumori shrine in Tochio, Tochibori district, Niigata. Everybody was chanting, hooting and hollering as they ascended the stone staircase approaching the shrine, with the front runners carrying giant ceremonial candles.
A couple short videos to bring you into the experience:
A video of the ensuing mosh pit in the shrine. The liquid you see flying around is not water to cool everyone down, but Japanese saké which was sprayed on participants, or poured into their open mouths.
Here one of the dudes in the temple told me to get on his shoulders. Note the hands slapping me as I ride around! Really wakes you up!
@nicksikorksi and I running back up the stairs to the shrine after a dip in the icy cold water of the Shinto purification pool below.
I ended up getting two of the wooden good luck talismans (“ofuda”) thrown by the priest from the small window near the ceiling of the shrine. It cost me a couple elbows to the head, but was worth it!
This was one of the most beautiful, strange,
and surreal birthdays I’ve ever had.
Participating in a hundreds-of-years-old festival, for a thousands-of-years-old religion, in a timeless ceremony symbolizing the human will to survive, and push for fertility, luck, and prosperity was really something else.
Plus, the comaraderie and booze-moshing suited my punk rock tastes just fine!
Wa-shoi!
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
OMG Graham,
You are so lucky to be able to take part in such a fantastic cultural ceremony.
Weird and wonderful mate, you can't beat it.
Man it was weird and wonderful. Thanks!
I like the fact that I'm the only one drinking in the top photo: seems like you and Kevin got your priorities all wrong ;)
Haha. Right on. Our only priorities are taking ass photos, apparently. What kinda dudes you hanging out with man!?!
The kinda dudes who let me drink all the sake?! Guess I'm OK with that ;)
Happy Birthday, and best wishes for the coming year (maybe including the coming economic apocalypse?)
During our middle years, birthdays tend to seem rather insignificant, but it sounds like this one was a major and unique celebration. It's great that you could participate in Hadaka Matsuri.
Cheers, @ majes.tytyty. Really appreciate it.
And in commemoration of your day ... BANZAI! May your awareness live for 10,000 years.
Man I love this post and can really imagine the atmosphere fun and mystic of that event. Wish I had more time these days, but leaving for a few weeks makes things quite busy before and after.
Glad you had a blast, once more happy birthday and keep rockin Graham!!
Love and Respect
Thanks man. It really was neat. Have a blast in Germany!!!Lookong forward to the pics!
That looks fun! We have a few brave the cold for new years events here at random shrines, but nothing like that. It may take more than one drink to get me doing it, tho. haha
Man, and as always when I see winter photos of up there, I love the snow. Here in the Nagoya area we never get any snow. So different from back home.
Ah, that’s right, you’re in Nagoya. I’ve only been there once but really loved it. I need to go back and try some miso katsu. Anytime you’re in Niigata, gimme a buzz. Plenty of snow to go around and we can put you up for a night or two!
裸祭り！インパクトがある写真ですね。
Haha! Yes, a little 写真 shock value perhaps :)
楽しかったです！
oh this looks funny and cool underwear 😋
Wow!
Now that's 1 birthday you won't soon forget
Edit: happy birthday 🎈🎈🎉💃
I bet this was an interesting experience for sure! Also happy late bday!
the festival is many year old and many people are enjoying the festival! so great to see that people are really interesting in it! great sharing follow you!
that would of been a preety wierd but amazing experience. its all about putting yourself out there i got called on stage on my 21st birthday at the midget boxing in bali.Indonesia and was given a dance by a transvestite midget. that was a crazy night hahah
i would need to shave a lot to participate in that
lol. I think I was the second hairiest bastard there...
What an awesome way to celebrate, looks like a ton of fun! Happy Birthday!
Thanks, @theb0red1! Really appreciate that. It was a blast!
A sudden sudden picture of three buttocks came out and I was surprised!
Thank you for your interesting post ♪
Haha!
Good Luck Mrs. Naked Men have an awesome festival.
I loved especially your this post @kafkanarchy8474
is this a demo video?
or what video?
I do not understand .
thank you :-) .
Did you read the post?
Amazing,Teach me to play good steemit,thanks
Nsfw
Lol. Kidding, right?
Saw your post featured on @jrvacation. This was . . . interesting (๑˃‿˂). I'd heard of Hadaka Matsuri in passing, but didn't know what it entailed! It's actually pretty neat! Thank you for sharing (๑•‿•๑).
amazing your video fun brother...
Nice post thanks for sharing....