IWATE, Feb 18 (News On Japan) –
One of Japan’s “three great strange festivals,” the Somin Festival, the place males in loincloths conflict fiercely, has concluded its 1200-year historical past on Saturday, February 17.
JR East’s Refusal to Display Poster Sparks Controversy
The competition gained nationwide consideration 16 years in the past resulting from an argument. In 2008, town created a poster for the Somin Festival that includes a bearded man with chest hair as the primary visible. JR East Japan refused to show it at stations, citing it as “distasteful.”
Loincloth-Clad Men within the Cold of Iwate
The competition takes place at Kuroishi Temple in Oshu City, inland Iwate Prefecture. Despite the nice and cozy winter, males in loincloths courageous the single-digit temperatures, purifying themselves with chilly water whereas shouting. The spotlight of the competition, which prays for bountiful harvests and good well being, is the scramble for “Somin bags,” believed to convey blessings.
Lack of Successors Leads to Conclusion
The Somin Festival, with a historical past of over 1200 years, attracts round 3,000 guests yearly. However, it was canceled in 2021 as a result of pandemic and solely partially revived final yr, with the primary occasion, the scramble for Somin luggage, being omitted.
This yr, regardless of a full revival, the competition has come to an finish resulting from a critical lack of successors.
Daigo Fujinami, Chief Priest of Myokenzan Kokuseki-ji Temple: “The region is aging significantly, and there are no future successors, making it difficult to continue the festival in its traditional form.”
The temple plans to proceed prayers and different rituals to keep up the religion.
Website: Kokuseki-ji Temple
Source: ANN