Shimadachi Hadaka Matsuri

Overview

The Shimadachi Hadaka Matsuri is a Shinto ritual handed down since the Edo period in the Horigome district of Shimadachi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture; its official name is the "Shimadachi Horigome Naked Festival." Held each July as the summer festival of Tsushima-sha, the guardian shrine of the Horigome district, it is a simple festival in which boys, clad in loincloths of bleached cotton, carry paper banners and parade while calling out chants, praying for protection from misfortune and for the warding off of epidemics. Cherished as a traditional event in which children take the leading role, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nagano Prefecture in 1988 (Showa 63).

History and Origins

The Shimadachi Horigome Naked Festival has been handed down as the festival of Tsushima-sha, the guardian shrine of the Horigome district. Tsushima-sha is said to have been invited (kanjo) in the mid-Edo period from Tsushima Shrine in Ichinomiya, Owari Province (present-day Aichi Prefecture). Tsushima Shrine has long enshrined Gozu Tenno and is known for faith in protection against epidemics and misfortune. The Tsushima faith—calming the epidemics that tend to spread in summer and praying for good health—took root in this area and became a festival.

The form of a "naked festival" is said to be based on the idea of offering more fervent prayer by facing the ritual in a purified, naked state. In this festival in particular, boys take the leading role, parading in loincloths while holding up paper banners. Even as urbanization advances across Matsumoto City, the Horigome district preserves and transmits many historic sites and folk events, and this naked festival is one of them, carefully carried on by local people. Once a simple festival of children alone, its cultural value was recognized, and with its designation as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nagano Prefecture in 1988, it came to be known beyond the region.

Highlights

The greatest highlight is the sight of boys in bleached-cotton loincloths parading with paper banners in hand, calling out chants. The sight of innocent children, dressed in traditional attire, earnestly facing the ritual moves those who watch. Under the summer sun, the scene of white loincloths and paper banners advancing in a line overflows with the simplicity and strength unique to a folk event continuing since the Edo period.

The festival is also known for the purification ritual (misogi) performed in a muddy pond. The scene of children purifying themselves while covered in mud embodies the meaning of the ritual—shedding misfortune and regaining purity—and remains in memory as a sight combining force and sanctity. The many traditional movements that have become rare today—the procession advancing with chants, the mud-covered purification, the line of paper banners—are major highlights of this festival.

Event Information and Access

The Shimadachi Horigome Naked Festival is a summer festival held generally in early July (around July 1, or around July 7 depending on the source), centered on Tsushima-sha in the Horigome district of Shimadachi, Matsumoto City. As the festival of the local guardian deity, it is carried out chiefly by local children.

For access, the gateway is Matsumoto Station, served by the JR Shinonoi Line, Oito Line, and others. The Shimadachi district lies in the western part of Matsumoto City's urban area, and can be reached from Matsumoto Station by local bus or car. It is also an area close to Matsumoto Airport (Shinshu-Matsumoto Airport). As this is a ritual rooted in the community, visitors should be considerate not to disturb the festival and should not forget courtesy toward local people. Because exact dates and times may differ from year to year, it is best to confirm in advance through official announcements by Matsumoto City or local tourism sources.

Around the Area

Matsumoto City is the central city of central Nagano Prefecture, home to Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure. The keep of Matsumoto Castle, beautiful in its contrast of black and white, is one of the twelve surviving original keeps, and its appearance against the backdrop of the Northern Alps is a symbol of Matsumoto. Nakamachi Street and Nawate Street, which retain the atmosphere of a castle town, are lined with storehouse-style buildings and charming shops, making for enjoyable walks.

Heading out from the western part of Matsumoto City where the Shimadachi district lies, one finds nearby the Kamikochi gateway to the Northern Alps, as well as renowned hot springs such as Asama Onsen and Utsukushigahara Onsen. The appeal of Matsumoto is being able to enjoy magnificent mountain scenery, hot springs, and castle-town culture all at once. Matsumoto is also a cultural city where a world-renowned music festival is held, a place with many faces ranging from traditional events to contemporary art. Along with the festival, one can fully enjoy the nature and history of Shinshu and Matsumoto.

Related Information

The latest information on the Shimadachi Horigome Naked Festival can be found in official announcements by Matsumoto City and local tourism sources. Designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nagano Prefecture, it is a children's ritual rooted in the Tsushima faith continuing since the Edo period, a valuable event both academically and culturally. Across Japan, many naked festivals praying for good health and protection from misfortune have been handed down, but the form in which boys take the leading role, hold up paper banners, and undergo purification in a muddy pond is a distinctive feature unique to this festival. The efforts of the Horigome district to preserve and transmit a simple folk event amid advancing urbanization are an endeavor to pass local traditional culture on to the next generation, and are expected to be carefully carried on in the years to come.

← Explore More Festivals