 Most viewed - Inazawa 稲沢市 |
Konomiya Hadaka Festival, Inazawa, Aichi Pref.553 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.530 views
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504 views
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Gaijin girls had an easy time attracting men who happily tried to converse in English and bestow cloth strips.453 views
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Raising a pole in front of Inazawa Station405 views
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391 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.384 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.373 views
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365 views
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Sometimes a man from the window jumps into the crowd to grab and take in the Sacred Man.358 views
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They zig-zag along the street, and they are filled with sake.346 views
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TV reporter with this year's Sacred Man (Kami-otoko), Kato Norihiko 神男：加藤 典彦343 views
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Maybe this is the Sacred Man being pulled into the window.330 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322 views
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Gaijin talking to gaijin. Sounded Australian. English teacher at junior high.321 views
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308 views
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303 views
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290 views
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288 views
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They get pretty crazy, getting more water.280 views
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Every once in a while, they raise their pole.277 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276 views
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Raising a pole in front of Inazawa Station273 views
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The Sacred Man struggles to reach the small window.269 views
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266 views
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Numerous groups of near-naked men (no women) proceed to the shrine all afternoon.261 views
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Closeup of giant mochi. Solid as a rock.261 views
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On the straight road from Inazawa Station to Konomiya Shrine.259 views
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When the Sacred Man enters the window, everyone cheers.257 views
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Some of the men tear off strips from their handband and give them to bystanders.252 views
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Tree surrounded with cloth strips called Naoi-gire251 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.245 views
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The men in the window give directions to the Sacred Man.241 views
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The festival is over.238 views
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236 views
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All the men want to touch the Sacred Man, believing that it will dispel bad luck.235 views
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The window where the Sacred Man entered.231 views
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Konomiya Shrine torii and the long path to the shrine is lined with a large crowd.230 views
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This is the small window the Sacred Man has to enter. It has a sprinkler system.229 views
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Zig-zag to the shrine227 views
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The inner path to the shrine gets more crowded.224 views
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They are waiting for the Sacred Man.214 views
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All the men look in the direction of the Sacred Man.214 views
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More giant mochi offered to the shrine. Notice the forklift. 大鏡餅奉納213 views
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Giant mochi inside the Haiden hall. 大鏡餅奉納212 views
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Haiden Hall where the men offer their long poles. 拝殿209 views
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The men are shouting "Kami-o Kami-o" (another way of pronouncing the kanji for Kami-otoko). 神男207 views
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205 views
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Men with buckets come for a refill.200 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.197 views
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194 views
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Another torii189 views
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189 views
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After passing through this gate, the men enter the shrine grounds. Romon Gate 楼門188 views
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Inside the shrine hall.185 views
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182 views
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Men start to pour into the shrine.180 views
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Romon Gate 楼門177 views
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Now they start to splash cold water on the men, and some of the spectators.177 views
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176 views
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Banzai cheers when an extra-large pole was brought to the shrine.172 views
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171 views
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Water supply169 views
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Now empty, this path will soon be filled with thousands of men in loincloths.167 views
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Splashing water167 views
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Stacking up the poles.166 views
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Haiden Hall 拝殿165 views
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159 views
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