Waves of sweat erupted as hundreds of naked men grappled over a bag filled with wooden talismans, marking the last time a thousand-year-old ritual took place in Japan in a dramatic ending. Their fervent cries of "jasso, joyasa" (meaning "evil, be gone") reverberated amidst the cedar forest of northern Japan's Iwate region, where the secluded Kokuseki Temple opted to conclude the beloved annual ceremony, news agency AFP reported.
Coordinating the event, which attracts hundreds of participants and thousands of sightseers each year, has become an arduous task for the elderly locals, who struggle to uphold the demands of the ritual, AFP's report stated.
The "Sominsai" festival, acclaimed as one of Japan's most peculiar festivals, stands as the latest tradition affected by the nation's aging populace crisis, particularly impacting rural communities.
A resident monk of the temple established in 729, Daigo Fujinami, said "It is very difficult to organise a festival of this scale." "You can see what happened today--so many people are here and it's all exciting. But behind the scenes, there are many rituals and so much work that have to be done," he stated. "I cannot be blind to the difficult reality," he also added, as quoted by the report.
About Sominsai festival at Kokuseki Temple
Japan's demographic landscape has witnessed a rapid aging process compared to many other nations, resulting in the closure of numerous schools, shops, and services, especially in smaller or rural areas.
The Sominsai festival at Kokuseki Temple traditionally spanned from the seventh day of the Lunar New Year until the following morning. However, due to the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, the festival underwent modifications, with prayer ceremonies and smaller rituals taking precedence, AFP reported.
The most recent iteration of the festival was a condensed version, concluding around 11:00 pm, yet it attracted the largest crowd seen in recent times, according to local residents cited by the report.
As dusk descended, men garbed in white loincloths ascended the mountainous terrain to reach the temple, partaking in a ritual bath in a nearby creek before parading around the temple's premises.
With fists clenched against the winter chill, they chanted "jasso joyasa" in unison, some capturing the moment with small cameras, while numerous television crews trailed behind, documenting their journey through the temple's stone pathways and dirt trails.
As the festival crescendoed, hundreds of men congregated inside the wooden temple, their voices rising in shouts and chants, engaged in spirited contention over a bag of talismans.
Japan: Locals Hope For Revival Of Ritual In Future
Toshiaki Kikuchi, a local resident who has been closely involved in organising the festival for many years and has a strong connection to the talismans, expressed his hopes for the revival of the ritual in the future. "Even under a different format, I hope to maintain this tradition," he stated after the festival, as quoted by AFP. He further remarked "There are many things that you can appreciate only if you take part."
Numerous attendees and spectators shared a mix of emotions regarding the festival's conclusion.
"This is the last of this great festival that has lasted 1,000 years. I wanted to participate in this festival," shared Yasuo Nishimura, a 49-year-old caregiver hailing from Osaka, in an interview with AFP.
Similar festivals, in which men swim in cold water while dressed in loincloths or engage in combat over talismans, are still held at various temples throughout Japan.
To survive, several festivals are modifying their regulations to reflect shifting social customs and demographic trends. One example is allowing women to participate in rituals that were formerly exclusive to men. Kokuseki Temple will continue its spiritual activities by holding prayer rituals and other events in place of the festival starting next year, the report stated.
"Japan is facing a falling birthrate, aging population, and lack of young people to continue various things," Nishimura said. "Perhaps it is difficult to continue the same way as in the past," he added.