🏮 Odaka no Hadaka Mairi
小高のはだか参り
Sosa, Chiba (Myochoji Temple to Yasaka Shrine) · Every year in mid January
Official site →119 days to go
Rooms around Sosa, Chiba fill up while the festival is on.
Kotaka no Hadaka Mairi is a naked festival held every year in the Kotaka district of Sosa, Chiba Prefecture, on the night of the second week of January, starting from Myocho-ji and heading to Yasaka Shrine. From 10:30 p.m., men in loincloths bathe in cold water in the winter mountains and pray for good health. The festival is said to have continued for about 400 years, and the cold water is poured as a means of purifying oneself before the gods. When it was canceled during the Meiji era due to a shortage of men, an epidemic broke out, so since it resumed it has been held every year without fail. Participants are limited to men. The highlight is the cold water splashing that begins with the shouts of "Essa! Hoisa!" After the men pour water on themselves with buckets, they run about 300 meters to Yasaka Shrine, circle the main hall three times, and pray. On the way back, they hold hands and sing "Hii-hii gangan" together, then bathe in the water again at the splashing site at Myocho-ji. Finally, rice cakes are thrown by the organizers, and worshippers compete for good fortune.
Getting there
The nearest station is Yokaichiba Station on the Sobu Main Line, but the festival starts at 10:30 p.m. and there are no buses, so access by car is recommended. The venue is Myocho-ji at 333 Kotaka, Sosa.
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