[Iwate Prefecture] Does it start late at night and last until morning? Kuroishiji Temple Somin Festival, one of Japan's three most bizarre festivals

NEFT Editorial Department
2021.10.22
Last updated: 2024.04.8

table of contents

1 This festival has a long history and has continued for over 1000 years.
2 The festival starts at 10pm, what is it about?
3 Is general participation possible?
- 3.1 Once you have decided to participate, make sure you understand the traditions, rules, and how to participate!
4 summary
- 4.1 Kuroishi-dera <Information>

the Kuroishiji Somin Festival held at Myokenzan Kuroishiji Temple in Mizusawa Kuroishi-cho, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture .

This festival has a long history and has continued for over 1000 years.

The Kuroishiji Temple Somin Festival has a long history and has continued for over 1000 years .

To begin with, Sominsai is a naked festival that has been passed down in various parts of Japan, mainly in Iwate Prefecture.

"The god Muto, who was traveling south from the North Sea, incarnates into a human and asks two brothers, the poor Somin Shorai and the wealthy Kotan, for a night's lodging. Kyotan refused, and Sominsai happily hosted the traveler and treated him to the best of his ability, although he was poor with millet rice.A few years later, Sominsai, who had taken a wife and had a child, was again visited by the god of Muto. appears and reveals his true identity as Kenhaya Susanoo no Mikoto, and if he wears a ring made from a bamboo stalk and chants, ``I am the descendant of Somin Mirai,'' he is guaranteed good health. I told you it would be.”
Quoted from wikipedia

Based on this anecdote, the prototype of Sominsai may have been created in the middle of the Heian period. It has been with.

The true identity of the ``Mutogami'' that also appears in this story varies depending on the region, and at Kuroishi Temple in Mizusawa, Oshu City, it is said that it was ``Yakushi Nyorai'', and on the 7th day of the lunar new year, it is said to be a symbol of good harvest and good health. It is a festival held to pray.

The festival starts at 10pm, what is it about?

So, what exactly are the contents of this festival? However, it will start from 10pm on the night of the 7th of the Lunar New Year.

The festivals are listed below.

Naked visit 10pm-

Naked men gathered in front of the shrine office at the sound of a bell, each holding a square lantern and purified rice sandwiched between split bamboo, purifying themselves in the Ruritsubo River (Yamauchi River), and chanting ``Jasso Joyasa'' at Yakushido. , touring Myoken-do Hall and praying for a good harvest and warding off disasters.

Shitoto 11:30pm-

At the signal of the bell, people form a procession, bend down, and chant "Iyoiyo" as they march forward, carrying Shiba, fire pit, sesame husks, and salt. In front of the main hall, a fire was lit by stacking raw pine wood that had been harvested from the mountains in the precincts the previous day to a height of more than 3 meters on a crossbeam, and the young people and the crowd stripped naked and climbed on top of the saibato tree to light the sparks. While praying, we raise our spirits by singing Yamauchi Bushi.

Noboru Betto 2am-

At the signal of the bell, people gathered at the shrine office, handwoods were distributed to the exorcists, the betto and the general representative who had offered the Sominbukuro acted as guardians, and the exorcists guarded the front and back, accompanied by conch shells, drums, etc., inside the Yakushi-do hall. Climb to the top of the mountain, perform a memorial service by burning goma, and bestow goma to worshipers and prayers.

Oniko Noboru 4am-

Two 7-year-old boys from the Dan family were dressed in mai, gauntlets, and held mallets, with demon masks upside down on their backs, and carried by an adult who had removed the limescale naked on their backs, and climbed up to the Yakushi-do Hall and worshiped. Masu.

Battle for Sominbukuro 5:00am-

Once the Onikoto ceremony is over, the competition for Sominbukuro begins.

In order to pray for a good harvest and good health, the Shogun wood, which is a talisman against epidemics, is carved into a hexagonal shape, and each side has the words ``Somin'', ``Shorai'', ``Descendants'', ``Mondo'', and ``Ya☆・'' (so). One of the monks holds a ``Somin bag'' with nine characters written on it, cut into pieces and placed in a jute bag, and turns outside and shouts ``Somin future'' three times. The outside of the hall turned into a melting pot as naked young men scrambled to grab the bags, with their bodies attacking each other from all directions.

After being rubbed once on the outside of the hall, the group of naked figures are pushed out of the hall like a tide. It's below freezing, cold and snowy. They ran westward, then flew eastward, chasing the animal-like bags wherever they went, stealing them, and getting them back in a sweaty scramble until dawn. It is the pinnacle of masculinity expressed in pure white.

The battle lasted for nearly three hours, and as the night finally dawned, it was time for the bag's owner to sing in triumph, and it was said that the person who stole the bag was guaranteed a rich harvest.

Is general participation possible?

Anyone from any region can participate in the Kuroishiji Somin Festival !

Registration is possible from midnight on the day of the festival at the on-site registration venue.

Once you have decided to participate, make sure you understand the traditions, rules, and how to participate!

However, as with any festival, there are customs and rules for participating.

If you are considering participating, please check the details carefully.

If you cannot abide by this and your purpose is simply to get naked, please refrain from participating in the festival.

In principle, one must practice Shojin Keisai for a week before the festival, and must not eat foods with strong odors such as meat, fish, chives, and garlic, or cooked foods made from such foods. is prohibited.

Since you are participating in the festival, it is important to strictly observe Shojin Keisai and understand that it is a religious event.

summary

Mizusawa Kuroishi Town is also a neighboring town to Hiraizumi, a world heritage site in Iwate Prefecture, and since 1966 the Somin Festival has been held at Motsuji Temple in Hiraizumi, which is the current method of celebration.

The area is also home to many hot spring facilities and inns, so it's sure to be a great trip in the winter.Of course, it's okay just to see the sights, so if you have the time, why not give it a visit?

Those who participate in the festival should strictly observe Shojin Keisai and understand that it is a religious event before participating!