Surviving an Extreme Japanese Winter Festival | Urasa Pushing Matsuri

This 1200 year old Japanese Winter tradition ⛩️ in the mounatin snow is one of the country’s most famous! Also known as the Urasa Pushing Festival. Winter in Japan can be brutally cold, snow piles up fast in Urasa, Niigata. Residents participate in one of Japans famous “hadaka matsuri” #裸祭り or Nakedman Festival with white fundoshi / Japanese thongs in hopes of a good rice season.

It’s deeply rooted in local culture, Bishamondo Temple. About 300 participants in groups of 4 chant “Sanyo, Sanyo” and purify themselves in an ice bath — then run to the main hall to push for blessings and mochi rice cakes!

This festival has evolved over its 1200 year hostory but the ritual has the same elements of purity, prayer and pushing! It’s a Japanese cultural experience not to be missed either as spectator or participant — on the first Saturday of March every year
🙌 Thank you to Ishida-san and Kitamaru-san in Urasa for the local help to make this! #onlyinjapan