This is one of Japan’s leading naked festivals (yes, there are a lot of them).
What happens?
Thousands of loincloth-wearing men gather at Owari Okunitama-jinja Shrine (also known as Konomiya-jinja Shrine) in Inazawa City, Aichi for the Konomiya Naked Festival or Hadaka Matsuri.
The day begins with teams parading through town carrying giant bamboo poles known as naoi-zasa into the shrine.
As evening falls, buckets of icy water are hurled over the crowds. This intense build-up culminates in the arrival of the shin-otoko (God-man). Chosen days before the festival, the shin-otoko undergoes purification rituals, prayer, and solitude. On festival day, he is sent into the fray, shaved from head to toe, as thousands scramble to touch him. This contact is believed to transfer their bad luck for the year ahead onto the shin-otoko, who takes it into the shrine for cleansing.
There are also giant ceremonial rice cakes, which are cut up and distributed to temple-goers the following day. Eating a piece of these rice cakes is meant to keep illness at bay.
History
The festival dates back over 1,250 years and originated to ward off plagues and misfortune.
Schedule
The festival occurs annually on the 13th day of the lunar calendar, falling in February or March.
How to get there
From Tokyo:
Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagoya Station (1 hour 40 minutes), then transfer to the JR Chuo Line to Kanayama Station (5 minutes). From Kanayama, take the Meitetsu Line to Konomiya Station (10 minutes), followed by a short 10-minute walk to Owari Okunitama-jinja Shrine.
For a cheaper option, take a highway bus from Tokyo or Shinjuku to Nagoya (5–6 hours, ¥3,000 to ¥5,000), then follow the same route via Kanayama Station.
From Osaka:
Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Nagoya Station (50 minutes), transfer to the JR Chuo Line to Kanayama Station (5 minutes), and continue on the Meitetsu Line to Konomiya Station.
Alternatively, take the Kintetsu Line from Osaka-Namba Station to Kintetsu-Nagoya Station (2.5 hours, around ¥0), then connect to Kanayama and Konomiya. From Konomiya Station, it’s an easy 10-minute walk to the shrine.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
