Hadaka Naked Man Festival in Okayama

Every year on the 3rd Saturday of February, on one of the coldest nights of the year, thousands of men in fundoshi loincloths parade around Saidaiji Temple in Okayama Prefecture getting purified with freezing cold water. After cramming into the main temple building, the lights go out at 10pm and two lucky shingi sticks are released from the ceiling. The 9000 or so men battle to get hold of one of them and try to stuff it into a wooden box. Whoever manages to do it is guaranteed a year of good fortune.

More on the Hadaka Matsuri

• Survivor stories here and here.
• Account by someone who survived watching Hadaka Matsuri here.
• Amy Chavez on The Naked Festival
• Hadaka Matsuri videos on YouTube
• Hadaka Matsuri video on Japan In Motion

You can pick up a fundoshi loin cloth for about ¥1000 and join in the “fun” or just go along and watch. The shingi sticks are released at 10pm, but there is a kids version of the event between 3:30 and 5pm and Japanese taiko drumming (performed by women unable tyo take part in the rite) and other events held at the temple 6-8pm.

Access: Take the Ako Line to Saidaiji Station from Okayama Station (30 minutes).