Strange festivals in Japan

Here are some strange festivals in Japan to introduce to you.

1. Nabe Kanmuri . Festival
The Nabe Kanmuri Festival is a pot team festival, Nabe that takes place on May 3 every year at Chikuma Shrine in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It was a procession of people walking along the shores of Lake Biwa, consisting of eight-year-old girls dressed in red and green Heian period clothes, and pot-shaped helmets. Many people wonder why they wear berets? That's because it symbolizes offering food to the gods in exchange for good fortune for the year.

2. Curse Festival (Akutai Matsuri)
The Festival of Curse hundreds of devotees will climb the mountain Saishoji Temple, shout insults and curses at 13 monks dressed as Tengu yōkai and try to steal their offerings – actions believed to be bring them good luck for the year.

3. Crying Sumo Festival (Naki Sumo Festival)
Sumo Crying Festival is a festival where babies will fight each other by… crying, the baby who cries the loudest, the longest will win. Why is that so?

The 400-year-old traditional festival is inspired by the phrase "Naku ko wa sodatsu", which means a baby who cries often "will grow up quickly". The Japanese believe that a baby who cries a lot will grow up healthy and happy.

4. Navel Festival – Hokkai Heso in Furano City
Hokkai Heso is a very funny festival about the belly. Furano city is located in the center of Hokkaido, so it is called "the navel of Hokkaido". From this point, the city held a very unique festival in 1969, which was to create artistic paintings in the abdomen around the navel (“navel” in Japanese is “heso”).

5. Warai Matsuri Laughing Festival
The Laughter Festival, held annually at Nyu Shrine, is a cultural event of Wakayama Prefecture held to bring good luck to everyone through laughter and cheers.

On the day of the festival, a person will dress up as a clown and bring a Mikoshi float, dancers, and other participants to Nyu Shrine. Along the way, they would laugh loudly and when they reached the temple, they all burst out laughing at the altar of the god.

6. Silent Bon Festival (Muon Bon Odori)
Unlike other noisy festivals, the Silent Bon festival takes place in silence and without music. The festival became quiet in 2009 because people complained that the festival sounds were too loud and interfered with sleep. That's why the government here held the festival in silence. And now festival goers will dance together over the sound of headphones.

7. Shukatsu Festival
While death is always avoided, this festival allows attendees to experience things they don't want. This festival is about how the living will make plans for themselves when they die. The festival lasts for two days, and participants will hear lectures and experience lying in a coffin.

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