Women participate in Japan's first-ever nude festival.

For over 1,200 years, the Hadaka Matsuri naked festival was exclusively for men, but this year that has changed.

A sea of ​​cheering, nearly naked men jostled and pushed toward the Konomiya shrine in central Japan. "Washoi! Washoi!" (Let's go, let's go!), they shouted. It was a scene that remained virtually unchanged throughout the 1,250-year history of Hadaka Matsuri, or Japan's famous Naked Festival.

But this year, women were also included in the festival held on February 22nd. "They know they are making history," the BBC commented.

The first women appear at this year's Hadaka Matsuri festival. Photo: Reuters

In fact, women have participated in the Hadaka Matsuri before, but previously they only worked behind the scenes. "Women have worked very hard to support the men at the festival," said Atsuko Tamakoshi, whose family has worked at the festival at Konomiya Shrine for generations. The idea of ​​women participating in the festival, where only men are allowed to participate in the rituals to ward off evil spirits and pray for good fortune, had never crossed his mind before. Naruhito Tsunoda, a local resident, said Japan had never had a ban on women participating before. "It's just that no one had ever raised the issue," he said.

Tsunoda said the most important thing about the festival is that everyone is happy and "believes that heaven and earth will be pleased if women participate."

Not everyone thinks so. Many people express concern and say, "What are women doing at a men's festival?" "But we all agree on what we want to do and believe that heaven and earth will bless us if we are sincere," said Atsuko Tamakoshi, who is already a grandmother at the age of 56.

Unlike men, women appearing at the festival do not wear loincloths like men. They wear "happy coats," long purple robes with white shorts, and carry their own processional items made of bamboo.

Atsuko Tamakoshi wore a long purple coat to participate in the festival. Photo: BBC

These women do not participate in the same male-like competition during the festival to touch the god Shin Otoko (a man is chosen to play this role) for good luck and to ward off bad fortune.

When it was time for the ceremony, the women set off for the temple. They lined up in two rows, carrying long bamboo poles wrapped in interwoven red and white ribbons on their shoulders, chanting in the familiar rhythm they had heard the men recite for decades.

"Washoi Washoi," the women chanted, focusing intently on the movements and speed they had practiced for weeks. They knew they had to perform the steps perfectly. Knowing that the world's media and tourists were watching them, the women smiled nervously. The onlookers cheered as the women passed by.

"Times have finally changed," said Yumiko Fujie, a woman participating in the festival. She felt a responsibility to maintain the tradition of women appearing at Hadaka Matsuri every year, not just this year.

Like the men, the women entering the Konomiya Shinto shrine are ritually splashed with cold water. The women's activity is just one of the rituals of the ceremony, not the main momiai ritual of the festival. During momiai, men wear traditional fundoshi loincloths, tabi socks, and hachimaki scarves. They jostle and try to transfer their bad luck to the "chosen one" (Shin Otoko) by touching him before he retreats to safety inside the shrine.

After the offerings presented by the group of women were accepted, they concluded the ceremony with a traditional greeting: bowing and clapping twice, followed by a final bow.

A scene from the Hadaka Matsuri festival, an event traditionally attended only by men for over 1,000 years. Photo: Reuters

And then, the memorable moment began. The women erupted in cheers, jumping around and hugging each other, weeping. They thanked the cheering crowd.

As the group of women left the temple, many locals and tourists gathered around to ask for photos. Media outlets from various countries also wanted to interview them. "I am very happy to be one of the first women to participate," said Mineko Akahori.

Akahori's teammate, Minako Ando, ​​added, "Being the first to do something like this is amazing."

Atsuko Tamakoshi, who played a significant role in the procession, spoke with mixed emotions of emotion and relief. "My husband always participates in this festival, and I'm an audience member. Now I'm filled with gratitude and happiness," she said.

(By Anh Minh , based on BBC and Reuters )

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