 Most viewed - Inazawa 稲沢市 |
Konomiya Hadaka Festival, Inazawa, Aichi Pref.564 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.541 views
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515 views
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Gaijin girls had an easy time attracting men who happily tried to converse in English and bestow cloth strips.463 views
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Raising a pole in front of Inazawa Station413 views
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398 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.394 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.383 views
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375 views
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Sometimes a man from the window jumps into the crowd to grab and take in the Sacred Man.367 views
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They zig-zag along the street, and they are filled with sake.353 views
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TV reporter with this year's Sacred Man (Kami-otoko), Kato Norihiko 神男：加藤 典彦351 views
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Maybe this is the Sacred Man being pulled into the window.337 views
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Gaijin talking to gaijin. Sounded Australian. English teacher at junior high.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329 views
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318 views
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313 views
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299 views
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296 views
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They get pretty crazy, getting more water.289 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287 views
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Every once in a while, they raise their pole.285 views
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Raising a pole in front of Inazawa Station284 views
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The Sacred Man struggles to reach the small window.277 views
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276 views
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Closeup of giant mochi. Solid as a rock.272 views
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On the straight road from Inazawa Station to Konomiya Shrine.270 views
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Numerous groups of near-naked men (no women) proceed to the shrine all afternoon.269 views
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When the Sacred Man enters the window, everyone cheers.264 views
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Tree surrounded with cloth strips called Naoi-gire259 views
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Some of the men tear off strips from their handband and give them to bystanders.258 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.253 views
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The men in the window give directions to the Sacred Man.247 views
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The festival is over.247 views
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All the men want to touch the Sacred Man, believing that it will dispel bad luck.243 views
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243 views
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Konomiya Shrine torii and the long path to the shrine is lined with a large crowd.240 views
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The window where the Sacred Man entered.239 views
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This is the small window the Sacred Man has to enter. It has a sprinkler system.238 views
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Zig-zag to the shrine236 views
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The inner path to the shrine gets more crowded.231 views
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All the men look in the direction of the Sacred Man.225 views
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They are waiting for the Sacred Man.223 views
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More giant mochi offered to the shrine. Notice the forklift. 大鏡餅奉納223 views
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Giant mochi inside the Haiden hall. 大鏡餅奉納221 views
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Haiden Hall where the men offer their long poles. 拝殿215 views
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The men are shouting "Kami-o Kami-o" (another way of pronouncing the kanji for Kami-otoko). 神男215 views
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213 views
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Men with buckets come for a refill.208 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.206 views
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204 views
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After passing through this gate, the men enter the shrine grounds. Romon Gate 楼門198 views
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Another torii197 views
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196 views
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195 views
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Inside the shrine hall.193 views
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Men start to pour into the shrine.189 views
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186 views
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Now they start to splash cold water on the men, and some of the spectators.185 views
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Romon Gate 楼門184 views
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Banzai cheers when an extra-large pole was brought to the shrine.180 views
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179 views
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Water supply178 views
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Splashing water176 views
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Now empty, this path will soon be filled with thousands of men in loincloths.175 views
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Haiden Hall 拝殿175 views
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Stacking up the poles.175 views
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169 views
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