murmurKawarayu Onsen Yukake Matsuri (Hot Water Splashing Festival)
Naganohara Town · Oyu public bath, Kawarayu Onsen
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Gunma Prefecture / Gunma Association of Tourism, Local Products & International Exchange · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Tue, Jan 20, 2026 （Ended） 5:00–6:00 a.m.
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually late January
- How the date is set
- Every year on January 20 Held every January 20, starting at 5:00 a.m.
- Venue
- Oyu public bath, Kawarayu Onsen
- City
- Naganohara Town, Gunma
About
At 5 a.m. every January 20, Kawarayu Onsen in Naganohara holds a curious festival also known as a naked festival. Before dawn in midwinter, young men in loincloths throw hot spring water over each other to thank the god of the springs. It takes place at Oyu in Kawarayu Onsen. As the story goes, the hot water once stopped without warning. Remembering that the springs smelled like boiled eggs, the villagers offered a chicken and prayed, and the water came back; in their joy they began splashing it on one another in celebration. Inquiries go to the Kawarayu Onsen Association.
Sources
- OfficialGunma Prefecture / Gunma Association of Tourism, Local Products & International Exchange gunma-kanko.jp
Last checked: Oct 11, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
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