"My Talisman!" Chaos Erupts as 10,000 Flock to 500-Year-Old Naked Festival

10,000 People Scramble for Talismans in a Confined Space
Fatal Accident in 2007 as Well...Safety Concerns Raised

A controversy has arisen after several people were injured, including three who fell into a state of unconsciousness, at a naked festival in Japan.

On the 21st, the 'Hadaka Matsuri' (Naked Festival) was held at Saidai-ji Temple on the outskirts of Okayama City, Japan. Hadaka Matsuri official YouTube live broadcast channel

On the 22nd, local media including the Asahi Shimbun reported that at around 10:15 p.m. on the 21st, six people were injured and taken to hospital during the “Saidai-ji Eyo” event held at Saidai-ji Kannon-in in Higashi Ward, Okayama City, Japan. Among them, three men in their 40s and 50s were reportedly unconscious. The remaining three were said to be able to converse. In 2007, a participant was crushed to death at the same festival, and debates over safety issues have continued since then.

This event, known as the “Hadaka Matsuri” (Naked Festival), has continued for some 500 years since the Muromachi period. It is regarded as one of Japan’s three major festivals and was designated in 2016 as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the national government. About 10,000 people took part in the event that day.

Participants in the event wear only a Japanese traditional loincloth called a “fundoshi” and jostle and wrestle to seize wooden talismans that measure only 4 cm in width and 20 cm in length. Some 500 years ago, the monks of Saidai-ji would return from ascetic training every New Year’s Day and receive talismans as proof of their ordeal, then hand them out to believers during the festival. As rumors spread that these talismans bring good fortune, fights occasionally broke out among worshippers trying to obtain them, and this eventually developed into the festival.

According to the fire authorities, at around 10:00 p.m., just before the talismans were dropped, they transported one man who complained of shoulder pain. After 10:30 p.m., two more injured people were taken to hospital.

The festival organizer, the Nishidaiji Eyo Hoshankai, reportedly had about 1,150 people, including police, firefighters, and private security guards, closely monitoring the situation on the day of the event. The organizers said, “We will share information with the police and fire department to find out why this happened, identify the problems, and consider measures such as changing the rules.”

Some online users who said they were on site commented, “The struggle for the talismans went on for a long time between the stairs and the pillar directly below the front of the high structure,” adding, “It was the first time I had experienced a situation where I could not escape.” Another user, who said they had previously worked security there, said, “The moment you grab a talisman, punches and kicks start flying, and it is difficult to withstand it alone.”

Local online users reacted by saying things like, “It always felt like a major accident would happen someday,” “Just from the photos, the crowding is so extreme that it seems strange there were no accidents,” “I have been to Saidai-ji Kannon-in, and it was a relatively small temple. To have 10,000 people in such a cramped place is extremely dangerous,” and “It is terrifying that some people are unconscious.” One user pointed out, “Preserving tradition does not mean freezing its form; it means evolving it so that it can continue.”