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The title of this blog alone should attract more visitors than any of my other entries! The third week of February I was lucky (unlucky?) to go to the Naked Man Festival, better known as the Hadaka Masturi. There are naked man festivals all over Japan, but I think the one in Okayama-Ken is the oldest and most famous. If you have no interest in reading the blog, check out this guy Josh's video.

Naked Man Festival

Casey Lary
2006-10-06 17:55:58

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The title of this blog alone should attract more visitors than any of my other entries! The third week of February I was lucky (unlucky?) to go to the Naked Man Festival, better known as the Hadaka Masturi. There are naked man festivals all over Japan, but I think the one in Okayama-Ken is the oldest and most famous. If you have no interest in reading the blog, check out this guy Josh's video.

http://www.joshuazimmerman.com/vidblog/index.php

It is very enjoyable, showing Hiroshima JETs in their finest form and parts of the festival as well. Honestly, you had to see the festival to believe it. Loads of fun!!!

To begin my blog, I would like to point out how customs around the world are not that different than the Naked Man Festival. At first I though, "this is an Only In Japan moment," because what other country would think to run around naked in the middle of winter? I myself have participated in a rather obsurd ritual, that makes no sense, yet you do it anyway. In my hometown, Chico California, on the first day of the new year, about 50 crazy people jump into the One Mile swimming area and swim across to the other side. It is called the Polar Bear Swim. This act of stupidity really has no meaning behind it. It is not supposed to bring you any luck...I mean you get a sticker at the end that says "Chico is my Hometown." Looking back I was trying to think of a good reason to do this event...yet was not able to come up with any of any importance. I did it just to do it. I even did it sober, bordeline still hungover from the New Year's Eve debauchery the night before. So Before any of you read this and think "only in Japan," ask yourself are there any silly antics/rituals that you have participated in???

That said...the Hadaka Matsuri was quite an interesting festival and not one anyone coming to Japan should miss. So a little history behind this festival. In the 1500 hundreds at the Saidaji Temple just north ...