The naked festival called Nanokado Hadaka-mairi in Fukushima Japan Asia

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This festival of Yanaizumachi in Fukushima Prefecture takes place every January at the Enzoji Temple and is one of the most famous. The hadaka-mairi, or naked festival, takes place in other regions of Japan as well and is based on Buddhist beliefs where men disrobe and perform a ceremony of purification in an energetic manner. When the sound of the temple bell strikes eight o'clock in the evening, the men race up the stone steps to the temple bell where they compete to climb up the gong's rope. The first one to touch the gong will be blessed with honor and happiness for the rest of the year.

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Size: 5304px × 3552px
Location: Fukushima Japan Asia
Photo credit: © Masa Uemura / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: bunka, culture, dentoh, enzoji, event, festival, fuyu, gyoji, matsuri, religion, temple, tradition, winter