In a groundbreaking development, the Konomiya Shrine in Inazawa town, Japan, has decided to allow women to participate in the historic “naked man” festival for the first time in its 1650-year history, according to the South China Morning Post. The festival, known as the Hadaka Matsuri, is a traditional event organized by the shrine in Japan’s Aichi prefecture and is scheduled to take place on February 22. This year, approximately 10,000 local men are expected to participate, along with 40 women who will engage in specific festival rituals.
Traditionally, the Hadaka Matsuri has been an exclusively male affair, but this year, the shrine has made a shift in tradition by allowing women to join. However, the women will not be fully naked like the men. Instead, they will remain fully clothed in traditional happi coats and will avoid the customary clash of near-naked men in loincloths, as reported by the Independent. Their participation will be limited to the “naoizasa” ritual, where they will carry bamboo grass wrapped in cloth into the shrine grounds.
The decision to include women in the festival has come in response to requests from female residents of the town and is seen as a step towards gender equality. Mitsugu Katayama, an official of the organizing committee, clarified that there was no active ban on women in the past, but they tended to stay away from the festival voluntarily. The move has been praised by local women and gender activists.
During the Hadaka Matsuri, thousands of men traditionally wear minimal clothing, typically a Japanese loincloth called “fundoshi” and a pair of white socks. The festival involves men running around the temple grounds and purifying themselves with cold water before heading towards the main temple. One of the key rituals involves finding two lucky sticks thrown by the temple priest among 100 other bundles of twigs. Participants strive to touch the “shin-otoko” or the chosen man, as it is believed to bring good luck for the year. However, due to the stampede-like situation, injuries and bruises are common among the participants.
The inclusion of women in the Hadaka Matsuri marks a significant shift in tradition and highlights the ongoing campaign for gender equality in Japan.
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