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  • Don't miss this

  • Only in Japan

  • In life

  • There are certain things a man just has to do before he dies

  • After seeing the show today I hope that "HADAKA MATSURI" or naked men festival

  • is one of those things

  • I traveled three and a half hours from Tokyo to get to Okayama

  • Okayama is 537 kilometers

  • 333 miles southwest from Tokyo

  • Takes 3.5 hours by bullet train

  • It's a beautiful city open sky wide avenues

  • and friendly people

  • It's famous for "MOMOTARO"

  • A folk hero who was born from a peach

  • To it old couple without children

  • MOMOTARO or peach boy

  • met's friendly talking animals on his quest to capture the ONI

  • Word team in on a nearby island

  • Okayama is also known for its delicious white peaches

  • KOURAKUEN is one of Japan's top three gardens

  • Okayama castle

  • is also known as the crows castle

  • due to its darker exterior

  • KOURAKUEN is a very relaxing place

  • and because a bit I slept very well the night before the festival

  • In a cozy capsule hotel near the station

  • Tonight is the night

  • Now you may think that the naked man festival is just a bunch of naked men

  • running around the temple

  • But that's not true at all has a deep religious significance

  • and it's rooted in history

  • It takes place SAIDAIJI temple which is not far

  • from here but twenty minutes by JR

  • Let's go

  • Just a few minutes outside of the city centre

  • Okayama charming countryside takes over the view

  • It's a dramatic change from the hustle

  • of Tokyo

  • Welcome to SAIDAIJI

  • This is where all the Magic's gonna happen

  • and in a few hours I'll be walking through the gates

  • into the grounds

  • Going over there towards the poor

  • Go through the pool here to cleanse ourselves

  • or around then we come back and go up

  • into the temple where it's a little bit warmer than out here

  • Effect it's freezing right now the winds picked up in it sure hope it's not like this

  • tonight

  • SAIDAIJI was built in the 18th century

  • and locals and tourists from all over the world come and visit

  • Many praying light candles

  • or incense and look for inner peace

  • I got a lot of advice from locals

  • This is the 540 year

  • The "HADAKA MATSURI" has been held

  • Making it one of the three oldest festivals in Japan

  • I had a chance to talk with one of the temples months

  • about the history "HADAKA MATSURI"

  • This is the opening where the throw all of the SHINGI lucky sticks at 10 p.m

  • and these SHINGI

  • holy sticks or lucky charms they're beautifully scented

  • When thrown at 10 p.m.

  • The whole area will smell beautifully like incense

  • The area is nearly set

  • There as a spectator seating area about forty meters from the temple

  • Prior to the main event at night

  • The temple holds a children's "HADAKA MATSURI"

  • The winners are placed it atop shoulders to show their pride in getting lucky stick

  • Even for the kids

  • The scramble for the sticks can get quite intense

  • Getting mostly naked and running through the streets at night

  • is a little bit strange for many cultures

  • so I as two fellow Americans

  • their feelings about this

  • Coming coming for San Francisco

  • Yeah, actually

  • It's maybe not

  • as strange as other parts the state's

  • I guess I don't really see this is a naked festival

  • Because you wear traditional clothes

  • Ah.., and I think you had me to be here in japan it's just not that big of a deal

  • Near by

  • There are many tents where people hoping to participate can by the TABI socks

  • and FUNDOSHI going claw and change

  • It's not necessary to register in advance

  • You can leave your things in the tent

  • The I was lucky to find a friendly company to host me

  • The group quickly accepted me as one of their own

  • and I had an experienced hand at helping me with my FUNDOSHI

  • %ah screen test experience

  • All right, (Thank you)ARIGATO

  • The group really knows how to have fun

  • I got FUNDOSHI whole set ready for

  • festival is really painful when they put it on

  • But I feel ok now

  • It's loosening up a little bit

  • Everyone's ready to go in a few minutes we're gonna go out to the call

  • and start festival

  • I'm feeling a little bit nervous

  • Because it's nice and warm in here and we get outside I think the first

  • You know fitted show that hits me just gonna knock me out

  • Are you ready

  • I am

  • Outside

  • The night temperature was around minus three degrees Celsius

  • and the best way to stay warm West keep moving and cuddle up with the other members

  • However hold water was thrown all over the group the resume to purify us

  • The to make a stop crazy

  • I supposed to water had both hips

  • Because you purchase a friend simply cannot stand still

  • The crowd around the temple was pretty big with all the photo flashes

  • cheering around me

  • We felt like rock stars

  • A member of the greenspan

  • Each local company group

  • Comes in

  • In ways

  • and must first be purified and the Holy found

  • The water is not heeded

  • I was crazy

  • WASHOI,WASHOI,WASHOI,WASHOI

  • WASHOI,WASHOI,WASHOI

  • The said participants lol

  • WASHOI,WASHOI

  • WASHOI,WASHOI,WASHOI..........

  • WASHOI,WASHOI,WASHOI,WASHOI,

  • actually

  • the unique

  • thing to me was that after a few minutes I no longer felt like I was a naked guy

  • running around

  • But a participant in a very spiritual event

  • To be honest I wasn't entirely sure what was going on

  • But I felt very connected to the group the temple

  • and to the experience

  • There was a deep sense of satisfaction being out here

  • cool warm up

  • One every way

  • So what that was the company introduction other

  • local companies all got together and they went through

  • Ah..., like you just saw

  • Lot of the employees are leaving now but the main event

  • is comming soon I decided to stick around for that

  • Federal gun is a little bit more dangerous where 9000 naked guys are

  • fighting site temple to get

  • sacred sticks for good luck

  • But the majority of the company workers here

  • are done

  • So,ah..

  • This the ball over UDON

  • is gonna keep warm me said

  • Warm me inside

  • Well

  • Because outside is cold

  • Cold

  • The main event

  • We arrive to an already full house

  • It's very difficult to pile into the crowded tough call

  • As people push on one side people topple down the steps on the other

  • No one stays down for long tho their

  • Right back up not wanting to lose their place

  • The center is the best place to capture one at the SHINGI

  • were lucky sticks

  • The air around the temple was very warm and humid

  • It dropped all of this SHINGI lucky charm group after the lights went out

  • The lights went back of people are scrambling everywhere

  • Their people jumping fighting ticket

  • Everything you can imagine that's World Wrestling

  • is a professional one

  • People are still running back for

  • It's really cold out here ran through water but crowds

  • I didn't get a lucky charm SHINGI

  • But I feel like really work pilots its highest

  • deep religious meaning to what

  • Doing these kinds of things in Japan although it seems a little bit silly

  • Really has it

  • Makes you feel part hunch

  • saw fit

  • come to Japan you here query Saturday

  • SAIDAIJI sure

  • I get back in there may be some what lucky charm

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