Hadaka-matsuri 裸祭り

“festival of the naked”

Hadaka-matsuri, one of the most spectacular and largest nude festivals, takes place annually in February – beginning of the year according to the old calendar – at Saidai-ji temple in Okayama City. Various groups of young and old men, dressed only in a loincloth (fundoshi) and white buckled socks (tabi), compete in the depths of winter over a phallic lucky charm (shingi), which is thrown into the thronging crowd in the temple hall at around midnight by the head priest. A wild fight ensues, which often results in injuries and even deaths. Those who finally get hold of a lucky charm are said to have good luck all year round.