Japan's thousand-year-old 'naked festival' is being wiped out due to aging population

The Sominsai festival, which has a tradition of more than 1,000 years, was discontinued because local residents were aging and unable to handle the organization.

Hundreds of men wearing traditional loincloths scrambled for a sacred bag containing wooden charms during the Sominsai festival at Kokuseki Shrine in Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, on February 17. Chants of “go away demons!” echoed through the cedar forest, marking the end of the annual event that has been held for more than 1,000 years.

This is also the last time Kokuseki Shrine will hold Sominsai. The event, which attracts hundreds of participants and thousands of visitors each year, has become a burden on the rapidly aging local community, which is no longer able to handle the organization.

"It's very difficult to organize an event of this scale. The festival looks very interesting, but it comes with a series of rituals and work that needs to be done behind the scenes. I can't ignore the current difficult reality," said monk Daigo Fujinami.

People attend the Sominsai festival at Kokuseki Shrine, Iwate Prefecture, Japan on the evening of February 17. Photo: AFP

Sominsai is one of the most famous and oldest festivals in the northern region of Japan, usually taking place from the night of the 7th to the morning of the 8th of the first lunar month.

The event takes place in the cold, and is a test of endurance and devotion. Men, dressed only in loincloths, walk from Kokuseki Shrine to a nearby river where they immerse themselves in the near-freezing water. They then return to the shrine to compete for the sacred bag, with the belief that the winner will be blessed by the gods in the new year.

The event was scaled back during the Covid-19 pandemic. The festival on the night of February 17 was also shortened and ended at 11pm, but locals said it was the most attended and witnessed ceremony in recent years.

Toshiaki Kikuchi, who won the sacred bag and has been involved in organizing the festival over the years, expressed hope that Sominsai would return in the future. "I still want to maintain this tradition, even if it means changing the format. You can only truly understand the value of many activities if you participate directly," he said.

Many participants and spectators also expressed sadness at the cancellation of the event. "This is the last ceremony of a great tradition that has lasted for more than 1,000 years. I really wanted to participate," said Yasuo Nishimura, a 49-year-old nurse from Osaka.

A series of similar festivals across Japan have also adjusted their rules to maintain their organization, such as allowing women to participate in events that were previously only for men.

Japan's population is aging at an accelerating pace. Statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that for the first time in September 2023, the country had 12.59 million people over 80, accounting for more than 10% of the total population. The number of people over 75 also reached 20 million, while the proportion of people over 65 hit a record high of 29.1%.

Vu Anh (According to AFP )

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