Japanese Nude Festivals Now Open to Female Participation

In a historic move, women have participated in the Hadaka Matsuri, a traditional nude festival at Japan’s Konomiya Shrine. This marked the first time in the festival’s 1,250-year history that women have taken part, making it a momentous occasion.

Hadaka Matsuri has been a tradition for over a millennium. It features a sea of men, clad only in loincloths, singing towards the shrine to drive away evil spirits. The chant they shout, “Washoi! Washoi,” translates to “Let’s go” in Japanese.

The inclusion of women in the festival was a significant turning point. Although they remained separate from the participating men, their presence was historic. According to Atsuko Tamakoshi, in an interview with Reuters, women have always played a crucial role in the festival, working hard behind the scenes to support the event.

Despite this, women had never participated directly in the festival. Naruhito Tsunoda noted that there was no explicit ban on women participating, but no woman had ever proposed to join. When the idea was presented, there was no hesitation in allowing it. Tsunoda believes that the most important thing is for everyone to enjoy the festival, as they believe that would be the will of the gods.

While there was some criticism from traditionalist corners of Japanese society, where gender equality is often a contentious topic, the women who participated were ecstatic. Tamakoshi, a 56-year-old grandmother, shared that despite some questioning the women’s presence at a traditionally male festival, they were all eager and believed that they would be protected by the gods.

The women participants, however, were not naked during the festival. They were dressed in purple robes and white shorts, following the traditional dress code.