Japan’s ‘naked men’ festival succumbs to population ageing

TOKYO -The “Sominsai” festival, regarded as one of the strangest festivals in Japan, is the latest tradition impacted by the country’s ageing population crisis that has hit rural communities hard.
Japan’s society has aged more rapidly than most other countries’. The trend has forced countless schools, shops and services to close, particularly in small or rural communities.
Kokuseki Temple’s Sominsai festival used to take place from the seventh day of Lunar New Year through to the following morning.
Many participants and visitors voiced both sadness and understanding about the festival’s ending.
“It is very difficult to organise a festival of this scale,” said Daigo Fujinami, a resident monk of the temple that opened in 729.
“You can see what happened today –so many people are here and it’s all exciting. But behind the scenes, there are many rituals and so much work that have to be done,” he said.
“I cannot be blind to the difficult reality.”
Some festivals are adjusting their rules in line with changing democraphics and social norms so that they can continue to exist — such as letting women take part in previously male-only ceremonies.
From next year, Kokuseki Temple will replace the festival with prayer ceremonies and other ways to continue its spiritual practices.