祭概要

約1万人の裸の男たちが繰り広げる、宝木（しんぎ）をめぐる激しい争奪戦！

About 10,000 undressed men fiercely battle each other to grab the sacred sticks!

「はだか祭り」とも呼ばれる、日本三大奇祭の一つ。厳冬の深夜、西大寺観音院の本堂御福窓（ごふくまど）から投下される2本の宝木（しんぎ）をめぐって、約10,000人のまわしを締めた男たちが勇ましく争奪戦を繰り広げます。明かりを消した浄暗の中、裸の群衆が大渦をなす様は圧巻。この宝木を取った者は「福男」と呼ばれ、福が得られると言われています。士気を高めるために女たちが打ち鳴らす「会陽太鼓」や、夜空を彩る「会陽冬花火」も必見です。
争奪戦の前には、会陽の起源にならって、男たちは垢離取り場で禊を行って心身を清めます。

One of the three Great Strange Festivals of Japan, also known as the Naked Festival. Roughly 10,000 men in loincloths battle each other late at night in the harsh cold over two sacred “Shingi” sticks dropped from the “Gofukumado” (good fortune window) at the main hall of Saidaiji Kannonin Temple. The sight of the stormy crowd of unclad men in the sanctified darkness with the lights turned off is overwhelming. It is believed that the men who are able to grab the sticks will have good fortune. The women beating Eyo Taiko Drums to boost morale and the Eyo Winter Fireworks that light up the sky are also must-see sights.

Before the battle, the men purify themselves in both mind and body in the same way it was done when this Eyo ritual originated.

祭基本情報