murmurSaidaiji Eyo (Naked Festival)
Okayama City · Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation (Okayama Kanko Web) · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sat, Feb 21, 2026 （Ended） Sacred sticks thrown at 10:00 p.m.
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid February
- How the date is set
- The 3rd Saturday of February
- Venue
- Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple
- City
- Okayama City, Okayama
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About
On the third Saturday of February, Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple in Okayama's Higashi Ward holds its eyo, famous across Japan as a naked festival. Late on a midwinter night, two sacred wooden sticks called shingi are thrown from the Gofuku window of the main hall, and around 10,000 men in loincloths grapple fiercely to grab them. Whoever wins a stick is called a fuku-otoko and is said to receive good fortune. The festival is said to have lasted more than 500 years and is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. The moment the sticks are thrown is streamed live on the official YouTube channel. The temple is about a 10-minute walk from JR Saidaiji Station.
Sources
- OfficialOkayama Prefecture Tourism Federation (Okayama Kanko Web) www.okayama-kanko.jp
- OfficialSaidaiji Kannon-in Temple www.saidaiji.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
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.