In Gamagori, the Miya Festival reaches its astonishing climax at the water’s edge, where decorated floats are hauled into the sea by teams of men straining against surf, weight, and ritual obligation.
Aichi Prefecture
Takisanji Oni Matsuri
At Takisanji Oni Matsuri, a fire ritual of startling theatrical force is performed not for spectacle alone but for purification – a prayer in flame for peace, protection, and a good harvest.
Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Man Festival)
Held in Inazawa and rooted in rites once performed to drive off plague, the Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri draws thousands of nearly naked men into a punishing crush of cold, contact, and purification.