Naked Man Festivals

[Gregster]

I'd like to see a lesson on the naked man festivals around Japan. They don't have any here in Hokkaido where I live (AFAIK), but participating in one is on my 'To Do' list before I leave Japan. I'd love to see a lesson about them in Jpod101, discussing where they are held, their origins and history, what happens during them, etc...a Culture Class would be my first preference, but I'd settle for anything.

[Ulver_684]

I'd like to see a lesson on the naked man festivals around Japan. They don't have any here in Hokkaido where I live (AFAIK), but participating in one is on my 'To Do' list before I leave Japan. I'd love to see a lesson about them in Jpod101, discussing where they are held, their origins and history, what happens during them, etc...a Culture Class would be my first preference, but I'd settle for anything.

Gregster-san!

It's the first time I heard and someone ask for a lesson about something like these!
It may not be about naked mens but it's about BL/Butlers Cafes. Have you been to one?

http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/vie ... 9c93665813

[Gregster]

I haven't been to a butler cafe, and have zero interest in doing so. A maid cafe, sure...but I can't see the attraction for butler cafes.

[sinbadx81]

I live a little south of you in Iwate. There's a naked man festival here called　蘇民祭「そみんさい」. It's in 奥州市水沢区「おうしゅうしみずさわく」. It's typically held in January or February each year.

Here's a link to the Japanese site if you're interested. It's around Valentine's this year. Perfect Valentine's date? Maybe not, but it's an interesting sight.

http://www.city.oshu.iwate.jp/icity/bro ... 0000000000

A couple English sites with some blurbs on the festival:
http://worldkigo2005.blogspot.com/2005/ ... tival.html

http://p-www.iwate-pu.ac.jp/~acro-ito/J ... geidx.html

[untmdsprt]

I can't see the point in maid cafes. How many butler cafes are there in Japan? OOO, a naked man festival. I want to see!!

Naked men are usually good to find!

[Ulver_684]

I haven't been to a butler cafe, and have zero interest in doing so. A maid cafe, sure...but I can't see the attraction for butler cafes.

Gregster-san!

ohhh I see!

[Gregster]

Sinbadx81, thanks for posting those links. I never knew the festival participants had to do that cold water purification. Brrr! The hours of condoned and sanctified hand-to-hand combat ("hustling"...Ha!) I can deal with, but I'm a wuss when it comes to cold water. Oh well, I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

LOL...I got the feeling a few people had the wrong idea about these festivals!

[kc8ufv]

I haven't been to a butler cafe, and have zero interest in doing so. A maid cafe, sure...but I can't see the attraction for butler cafes.

From what I understand, they are basically the same thing, just having guys instead of girls. Just picture the opposite gender as their main clientèle.

[sinbadx81]

Well Gregster, another part of the ceremony I don't think the sites mention is that pre-cold water purification the guys get into little huts to eat various foods, and more importantly, get a healthy dose of sake (some of it home-made like moonshine). There's a lot of stumbling out there in the cold!

[Gregster]

I guess a skinful of hooch WOULD help with the icy purification...what with already being numb all over. It wouldn't help your co-ordination or balance any in the melee, though!

I know there's more than just the one festival in Iwate-ken that was posted. I'd still love to hear a Culture Class about them. I mean, what's not interesting about (apparently) a whole bunch of drunk, numb, half-frozen naked guys stumbling around in the dark trying to beat each other to get their hands on a big stick of incense? It has ALL the makings of a great lesson, don'cha think?

[Ulver_684]

Sinbadx81, thanks for posting those links. I never knew the festival participants had to do that cold water purification. Brrr! The hours of condoned and sanctified hand-to-hand combat ("hustling"...Ha!) I can deal with, but I'm a wuss when it comes to cold water. Oh well, I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

LOL...I got the feeling a few people had the wrong idea about these festivals!

Gregster-san!

Let me explain to you, the true love is between a man and a woman BUT there are sweet dreams song too.

It's ok if anyone has been to a Butlers or BL cafe please let us know here:

http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/vie ... 9c93665813

[Gregster]

I was directed to this old newspaper article recently:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 318x2.html

It talks about a big naked man festival (hadaka matsuri) in Saidaiji-chou, Okayama prefecture, on the third weekend of February each year. The incense sticks are called shingi. And there are thousands of participants. One guy got killed in the melee last year.

I can't go this year...but next year for sure!