Half-hearted Equality: Women can but just 'watch' Japan's 1,250 years-old 'naked man' festival

In a groundbreaking decision, the Konomiya Shrine in Japan, known for hosting a “naked man” festival with a history spanning 1,250 years, will allow women to participate in its rituals for the first time this year.

Despite this step towards inclusivity, women remain barred from the festival’s iconic scrum, where men in loincloths aim to touch a fully naked man known as the “shin-otoko” or “god man” for good fortune.

While local women and gender experts commend the elders’ decision at Konomiya Shrine as progress towards equality, the Hadaka Matsuri festival is set to unfold on February 22, expecting around 10,000 participants and an equal number of spectators.

The festival, which faced disruptions due to the pandemic in recent years, now witnesses a notable shift as approximately 40 local women unite to engage in the traditional bamboo ritual.

Ayaka Suzuki, expressing her long-standing desire to participate, emphasised the significance of the event in the town’s calendar. Suzuki, the vice chair of the women’s group advocating for festival inclusion, plans to use her role to pray for her family’s safety and those affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Sumie Kawakami, an instructor specializing in women and gender issues, expressed surprise and delight at the shrine’s decision, hoping it signals a broader shift towards women participating in all aspects of such celebrations.

She noted that Japan has restrictive practices in various areas, citing the ban on women entering sumo wrestling rings and highlighting the Shinto religion’s limitations.

Kawakami proposed that a more gender-friendly approach, akin to Buddhism, which includes female priests, should guide future practices.

She also suggested a societal motivation for the change, with rural communities recognizing the need for increased participation, regardless of gender, to preserve cultural traditions threatened by population decline.

The festival’s origins trace back to a time when locals sought assurance of luck amid plagues and diseases. Men, clad in white loincloths, engaged in ritualistic activities throughout the town, culminating in the iconic shrine-centered event where the shin-otoko is surrounded by a crowd attempting to transfer bad fortune for good luck through touch.

Notably, this shift towards inclusivity mirrors recent changes in other traditional festivals, such as the Katsube Fire Festival and the Somin-sai festival.

While the former welcomed women for the first time, the latter faced its final iteration due to a decline in local participants, signaling a broader need for cultural preservation and community engagement.