Most viewed - Inazawa 稲沢市 |
Konomiya Hadaka Festival, Inazawa, Aichi Pref.552 views
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A group of men carry a red and white pole in front of Inazawa Station, on their way to Konomiya Shrine.529 views
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502 views
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Gaijin girls had an easy time attracting men who happily tried to converse in English and bestow cloth strips.452 views
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Raising a pole in front of Inazawa Station404 views
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389 views
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Konomiya Shrine holds the Hadaka (Naked or Nude) Festival in early March, or Jan. 13 of the lunar calendar. Men in loincloths parade around the streets until they reach the shrine.383 viewsA Sacred Man (Shin-otoko) also appears in the shrine and the men try to touch him before he slips into the shrine's window. The festival's real name is Naoi-shinji 儺追神事 which is a rite to dispel bad luck. Photo: Nearest station is JR Inazawa Station on the Tokaido Line. 稲沢駅
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It was a pretty cold day, and these men were drinking all afternoon.372 views
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364 views
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Sometimes a man from the window jumps into the crowd to grab and take in the Sacred Man.357 views
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They zig-zag along the street, and they are filled with sake.344 views
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TV reporter with this year's Sacred Man (Kami-otoko), Kato Norihiko 神男:加藤 典彦342 views
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Maybe this is the Sacred Man being pulled into the window.329 views
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TV reporter with this year's Sacred Man (Kami-otoko), Kato Norihiko, from Ichinomiya 神男:加藤 典彦321 views
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Gaijin talking to gaijin. Sounded Australian. English teacher at junior high.320 views
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306 views
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302 views
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289 views
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287 views
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They get pretty crazy, getting more water.279 views
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Every once in a while, they raise their pole.276 views
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Cloth strips (100 yen each) to ward off bad luck 厄除けの ”なおいぎれ” 初穂料 1本 100円275 views
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Raising a pole in front of Inazawa Station272 views
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The Sacred Man struggles to reach the small window.268 views
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265 views
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Closeup of giant mochi. Solid as a rock.260 views
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Numerous groups of near-naked men (no women) proceed to the shrine all afternoon.259 views
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On the straight road from Inazawa Station to Konomiya Shrine.258 views
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When the Sacred Man enters the window, everyone cheers.256 views
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Some of the men tear off strips from their handband and give them to bystanders.251 views
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Tree surrounded with cloth strips called Naoi-gire250 views
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Giant kagami mochi, rice cake in the Haiden Hall. Over 2 meters tall and over 2 meters diameter. Weighs 4 tons. They are to be cut into small pieces (with a chain saw) and given away the next morning.244 views
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The men in the window give directions to the Sacred Man.240 views
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The festival is over.237 views
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235 views
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All the men want to touch the Sacred Man, believing that it will dispel bad luck.234 views
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Konomiya Shrine torii and the long path to the shrine is lined with a large crowd.229 views
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The window where the Sacred Man entered.229 views
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This is the small window the Sacred Man has to enter. It has a sprinkler system.228 views
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Zig-zag to the shrine226 views
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The inner path to the shrine gets more crowded.223 views
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They are waiting for the Sacred Man.213 views
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All the men look in the direction of the Sacred Man.213 views
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More giant mochi offered to the shrine. Notice the forklift. 大鏡餅奉納212 views
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Giant mochi inside the Haiden hall. 大鏡餅奉納211 views
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Haiden Hall where the men offer their long poles. 拝殿208 views
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The men are shouting "Kami-o Kami-o" (another way of pronouncing the kanji for Kami-otoko). 神男206 views
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204 views
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Men with buckets come for a refill.199 views
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All the men look in the direction of the Sacred Man, but few can actually see him or touch him for good luck.196 views
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193 views
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Another torii188 views
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188 views
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After passing through this gate, the men enter the shrine grounds. Romon Gate 楼門187 views
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Inside the shrine hall.184 views
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181 views
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Men start to pour into the shrine.179 views
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Romon Gate 楼門175 views
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175 views
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Now they start to splash cold water on the men, and some of the spectators.175 views
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Banzai cheers when an extra-large pole was brought to the shrine.171 views
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170 views
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Water supply168 views
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Now empty, this path will soon be filled with thousands of men in loincloths.166 views
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Splashing water166 views
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Stacking up the poles.165 views
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Haiden Hall 拝殿164 views
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158 views
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