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For a general introduction see:
Hadaka Matsuri, Naked Festivals
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Temple Kokuseki-Ji Naked Man Festival
(Kokusekiji Hadaka Matsuri)
***** Location: Temple Kokuseki-Ji, Japan
***** Season: New Year, February 11
***** Category: Observance
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Explanation
Also pronounced: Kuroishi Hadaka Matsuri. 黒石裸祭
Some saijiki list this as a spring kigo.
This festival takes plase at a Temple in Mizusawa Town, Iwate prefecture in Northern Japan, during the coldest month of the year. According to the Old Lunar Calendar, it is the night of the Old New Year, from day seven to eight.
Men of unlucky ages (25 and 42) dressed only in loincloths take part in purification rituals throughout the night, climaxing in a vigorous struggle for wooden charms.
It is also called Sominsai 蘇民祭.
Somin is the name of a deity who protects against evil,
Somin Shoorai 蘇民将来.
A talisman is packed in a sack (somin bukuro) and the men hustle to take hold of it.
. Somin Shoorai Fu 蘇民将来符 Somin Shorai amulet .
The Temple Kokuseki-Ji was founded by the priest Gyooki 行基 during the Nara period in 729 and now belongs to the Tendai Sect of Esoteric Buddhism. The festival takes place at the Hall of Yakushi Nyorai.
The festival proceeds in various stages and preparations start already a month ago. It beging with a water purification of the participants, where all men poor icecold water over the naked bodies whilst shouting : Jaaso, Jaaso, Jaasa!
After a fire purification ritual (hitaki nobori 火たき登ぼり）
the naked men start hustling for the sack with the deity.
Two boys with a mask of the demon (onigo, oniko) on their back are carried around on the shoulders of the men.
Struggeling to grab the sack,
the men are divided in two groups, east and west. They keep wrestling until the sky gets bright in the east.
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The festival is also called Oniｇo Matsuri 鬼子祭り。
Some more Japanese Links:
http://www.bunka.pref.iwate.jp/dentou/maturi/maturi/maturi_027.html
胡四王神社の蘇民祭とは
花巻地方に原因不明の難病が流行したことから蘇民将来の説話譚に基づき慶応元年（1865）より始められた。戦後しばらく途絶えていたが昭和４９年氏子青年会の手により復活し今日に至っている。無病息災・商工繁栄・家内安全・国家安穏・五穀豊穣を願って麓の遥拝殿で行う祈年祭に始まり白鉢巻姿に褌、腰に注連縄（しめなわ）を巻き白足袋に草鞋(わらじ）ばき姿の年男やスポーツ少年団による裸参りに続き山頂拝殿前に松明（たいまつ）を灯し境内内外を清める浄火祭を経て同境内にて勇猛果敢に一つの蘇民袋(写真）をめぐって奪い合いを繰り広げる一大郷土行事である。
http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~somin/
http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~somin/moti.html
http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~somin/hadaka.html
More photos are here in our album, Nr. 01 - 07.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/worldkigo/album/576460762338483636
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Here is a great link in Japanese with many more pictures, including the ones above.
http://www.omatsuri.com/lib05/106.htm
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The Yakushi Hall of the Temple
More pictures of the Temple Area
http://www.sukima.com/16_hanamaki01_03/03kokusekiji.htm
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Worldwide use
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Things found on the way
Naked Festivals of Japan
Some Theory
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HAIKU
sominsai torihada tatete mite itari
Naked Festival !
With goosebumps
I watch the proceedings
(Tr. Gabi Greve)
Uji-Ie 氏家火芦
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Related words
***** Naked Festivals of Japan . . . . LIST
***** Saijiki for Religious Rituals and Events
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. Somin Shoorai Fu 蘇民将来符 Somin Shorai amulet .
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