About this event
This unique, world-renowned festival is held every year on November 10 at Otonashi Shrine in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Based on the legend that Minamoto no Yoritomo and Princess Yae enjoyed secret rendezvous at Otonashi Shrine in ancient times, the festival began with a ritual of signaling by pinching the buttocks of the person next to you while passing sacred sake in a pitch-black main hall. Today, after ritual offerings and a taiko drum performance, a unique "butt sumo tournament" is held where participants bump their buttocks together to the rhythm of festival music on a washbasin serving as a sumo ring, filling the shrine grounds with laughter. True to its reputation as a "unique festival under heaven," the venue erupts into continuous laughter as people pinch each other's buttocks to the festival music in the dark. In case of rain, the venue for attractions (butt sumo tournament, etc.) may be changed to the former Ito City Nishi Elementary School gymnasium. Advance registration is required to participate in the butt sumo tournament.
Source website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Otonashi Shrine
1-13 Otonashicho, Ito, Shizuoka 414-0032
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