Japan’s 1,000-year-old ‘naked men’ festival sparks joy for one last time as population grows old

Hundreds of naked men grappled over wooden talismans at Japan's Kokuseki Temple in the Iwate region, over 470 km north of Tokyo. The annual 'Sominsai' festival reportedly marked its last occurrence, as elderly locals struggled to coordinate the event amid the challenges of maintaining ancient rituals due to ageing population in the country.

The ritual, culminating in fervent cries of "jasso, joyasa" (meaning "evil, be gone"), traditionally attracted hundreds of participants and thousands of sightseers each year. But the ageing population crisis in Japan, particularly affecting rural communities, has made organising such events increasingly difficult for the elderly people.

Daigo Fujinami, a resident monk at the temple established in 729 AD told the AFP: "It is very difficult to organise a festival of this scale."

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Sominsai festival and Japan's ageing population

The Sominsai festival became another casualty of Japan's rapid demographic ageing process, leading to the closure of schools, shops, and services, especially in smaller or rural areas.

The festival, which traditionally spanned from the seventh day of the Lunar New Year until the following morning first underwent modifications due to the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic.

The most recentversion of the festival concluded around 11:00 pm (local time) but stillattracted the largest crowd seen in recent times, local residents told the AFP.

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As men garbed in white loincloths ascended the mountainous terrain to reach the temple, engaging in ritual baths in a nearby creek, the festival retained its essence. The spirited chants of "jasso joyasa" echoed through the air as men contended over a bag of talismans inside the wooden temple.

Toshiaki Kikuchi, a local resident deeply involved in organising the festival told AFP:"Even under a different format, I hope to maintain this tradition."

The conclusion of the festival evoked mixed emotions among attendees and spectators, with one participant stating, "This is the last of this great festival that has lasted 1,000 years. I wanted to participate."

Several festivals in Japan are adapting to reflect shifting social customs due to the ageing population.

(With inputs from agencies)