Participants scramble for the sacred sticks in the darkness during the Saidaiji Eyo festival — February 2019, Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple, Higashi Ward, Okayama City. (©Sankei by Kenji Suzuki)
Six participants were seriously injured at the Saidaiji Eyo festival, held on February 21 at Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple in Okayama City. Commonly known as Hadaka Matsuri, or the "naked festival," the event is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Its roots stretch back to the Muromachi period (circa 1336–1573).
The incident has renewed debate about balancing tradition with safety. Many beloved festivals across Japan, including the Onbashira Festival in Suwa and the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, carry an inherent element of danger. Experts note that this sense of thrill is part of what has kept them alive for generations.
According to the festival's organizing association and Okayama Prefectural Police, the accident occurred at around 10:15 PM as the event was nearing its climax. Emergency services received reports of people collapsing, and three men, aged 42, and in their 50s, were found unconscious at the scene. The 42-year-old later regained consciousness, but the remaining two were in critical condition when taken to hospital.
The Naked Festival
Designated a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 2016, the Saidaiji Eyo draws thousands of nearly naked men clad only in loincloths (fundoshi). They compete to catch two sacred wooden sticks called shingi, roughly 20 centimeters (8 inches) long, thrown from the second floor of the temple's main hall. Catching one is said to bring good luck.
All six injured men were participants in the scramble and are believed to have been hurt in the crush that erupted the moment the sticks were thrown.
According to Minoru Omori, head of the organizing association, around 10,000 men took part in 2026, roughly the usual number. However, first-time participants were up compared to previous years, and approximately 10% of attendees were foreign nationals. Some 1,150 personnel were deployed, including police officers, private security staff, and volunteers, but the measures proved insufficient to prevent the accident.
'At Your Own Risk'
This is not the first such tragedy at the festival. In 2007, a man died after being crushed by other participants, prompting organizers to strengthen safety measures. From 2010, the time at which the sacred sticks are thrown was moved forward by two hours, from midnight to 10 PM.
The festival's registration website warns participants of the risk of accidents from physical contact or falls. It also explicitly prohibits wearing glasses or necklaces or participating under the influence of alcohol. This year, the number of alcohol screening checkpoints was increased to two. The site also advises participants on how to protect themselves, including lying face down if knocked to the ground.
The website also states that participation is at one's own risk, with organizers accepting no responsibility for theft, injury, death, or any other accidents.
Omori commented, "We repeatedly warned participants, but were still unable to prevent this. For next year's festival, we will thoroughly investigate the cause with safety as our top priority. Above all, we pray for the swift recovery of those who were injured."
Other Incidents
Like the Saidaiji Eyo, many festivals held across Japan involve an element of danger and face ongoing challenges in preventing accidents.
At the Hakata Gion Yamakasa in Fukuoka, a well-known summer tradition, a man fell in 2023 and was run over by a one-ton festival float, killing him. The following year, additional personnel were assigned to run alongside the floats as a precaution.
At the Onbashira Festival, held every six years at Suwa Taisha, two people died in 2010 and another in 2016. Following the 2016 fatality, lawyers filed a criminal complaint against the shrine's chief priest on grounds of professional negligence resulting in death, alleging a failure in the duty of care. Prosecutors, however, ultimately decided not to indict.
Changing Attitudes
Hosei University sociology professor Shunsuke Takeda offers an explanation for why such dangerous traditions have endured. "Festivals are not merely religious rites," he says. "They require a sense of miracle. In the Saidaiji Eyo, it is meaningful precisely because the sacred sticks that bring good fortune do not reach everyone — only two people."
He adds that the competitive element, seen also in the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, generates excitement, which is part of what has motivated communities to keep these events alive.
In the past, participants generally understood the context and accepted the risks involved. But as media coverage and internet access have expanded, public perceptions of festivals have shifted. What was once accepted as a matter of personal responsibility within a local community can now appear simply dangerous to outside observers unfamiliar with the festival's background. When accidents occur, Takeda notes, they are far more likely to become broader social issues.
To prevent future accidents, Takeda suggests measures such as capping participant numbers by rotating involvement among local districts. "As the environment changes, festivals must also adapt," he said. "I hope solutions can be found to strike a balance between tradition and safety."
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Masahiro Fukutomi, The Sankei Shimbun
