The lights go out, two short wooden sticks are dropped into a crowd of thousands, and the fight for them can last an hour.
Overview
The Eyo at Saidaiji Kannonin is one of Japan’s three great “naked festivals”, and has been held for around 500 years. Men strip to fundoshi loincloths in the middle of February, pack into the main hall, and contest two shingi – sacred sticks – thrown down from the priests’ gallery. Whoever gets one out of the hall and plants it in a rice-filled box is the year’s lucky man.
It is genuinely rough, and it is also a rite: the sticks are blessed, and the point is the transfer of the year’s fortune.
When and where
The Eyo is held on the third Saturday of February each year, which in 2027 falls on 20 February. Daytime events run from the afternoon and the stick-throwing itself takes place late in the evening.
Nearest station: JR Saidaiji, about 15 minutes on foot from the temple.
Getting there
JR Saidaiji is around 20 minutes from Okayama on the Ako line, and extra trains usually run late on festival night. Roads near the temple are closed, so the train is the only sensible option. Okayama city makes the obvious base for the night.
What to expect
Spectators watch from outside the scrum, and there is a full programme before the main event.
- Roughly 10,000 participants in loincloths in and around the main hall
- Two shingi sticks thrown into the crowd once the lights are cut
- A children’s Eyo earlier in the day, with the same format at a safer scale
- Purification runs to the river before the contest, in February water
- Food stalls and a large crowd along the temple approach
Tickets and admission
Free to watch. Paid grandstand seating is sometimes offered – check with the temple ahead of time. Taking part is possible for men who register in advance and follow the rules, but this is not a casual sign-up; injuries happen.
Tips for visitors
Dress for a cold night standing still, because you will be outdoors for hours. Get into position well before the stick-throwing – the good vantage points around the hall fill early. Do not try to enter the scrum as a bystander: participants are organised in teams and the crush at the centre is serious.
Access and map
| Dates | 20 February 2027 (third Saturday of February) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Saidaiji Kannonin, Okayama City |
| Access | JR Saidaiji station, 15 minutes on foot |
| Admission | Free to watch |
| Official site | Okayama Kanko WEB |
Source: Okayama Kanko WEB (Okayama Prefecture official tourism)
Image: Photo: by Reggaeman / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
