The Most Unique Festivals in the World
Kanamara Matsuri:
The festival draws a huge crowd of foreigners who flock to the event to gawk and giggle at the outlandish celebrations. While it may seem a little odd to be celebrating genitalia in Japan, where sex is not generally discussed in public, this festival celebrates the fact that there are so many ways for people to express themselves.
Visitors will find the festival very much like Mardi Gras. There are three phallus-shaped portable shrines that participants carry in a parade through the streets of the area surrounding the temple. These mikoshis have a range of phallic-shaped sacred objects inside, including a pink Elizabeth (donated to the festival by a cross-dressing club in Asakusabashi) and a black phallus-shaped shrine.
In addition to the mikoshi, there is plenty of themed merchandise available. There are phallic-shaped candles in assorted colors, a selection of sweets and knick-knacks, and even a lollipop that looks like a penis!
While this festival may appear a little outlandish, it is considered a healthy way to celebrate sex and fertility. It is a safe, friendly, and very inclusive event that focuses on celebrating differences, diversity, and the weirdness and wonderfulness of the world!
The Mikoshi parade is a spectacle and one that everyone should see. However, the festival is not recommended for anyone with serious medical conditions, and it is best to respect the rules of the local community in which the festival takes place.
Naki Sumo:
One of the most unique festivals in the world is Naki Sumo, which is a centuries-old festival that takes place at Shinto shrines throughout Japan. It pivots around a ceremonial prayer for each baby’s health, followed by an outdoor crying contest between infants held in a handmade sumo wrestling ring.
According to Japanese folklore, a crying baby has the power to drive away evil spirits and encourage prosperity. It is also believed that a baby’s cries will help them grow strong and healthy.
The Naki Sumo Crying Baby Festival is a very special event that takes place each year at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo. It involves pairing tiny toddlers up with a novice sumo wrestler who will try to get them to cry.
Usually, the referee will goad the children by chanting “naki naki,” which translates to “cry!” into their faces. This is not always enough to induce them to cry but sometimes they do.
Once the babies start to cry, they are then held high into the air so that their cries will reach heaven. This will strengthen their blessing and ensure that they will have a long, happy life.
In some places, the number of parents who want to have their kids participate in the festival exceeds the available spots, so a lottery system is used to select the participants.
Although the husky samurai rikishi can be quite scary, their purpose in the competition is to bring happiness and prosperity to the babies who will be taking part in the festival. This makes the entire experience more enjoyable for both the child and the parent.
Kukur Tihar:
Kukur Tihar, also known as Dog Festival, is a five-day Hindu holiday celebrated in Nepal. It celebrates dogs as messengers and guardians of the dead, a relationship that is deeply rooted in Hinduism.
On the day, people adorn their canine companions with flower garlands, apply red tikas (marks on their forehead), and offer them inviting food after a ceremonial function. This is a significant time for Nepali dog lovers, who believe that the act of feeding a pet makes it happy and helps to move away all sins from its life.
Besides worshiping the canines, Nepalese also honor stray dogs in Kukur Tihar. These animals have been abused and mistreated, but they are still loved and respected by the local community.
Another important part of the celebration is the ritual of appreciating brothers and sisters. On the fifth day, sisters give their brothers tika to symbolize longevity in their lives and express their love for them.
Sisters usually spend time with their brothers and give them gifts; they also exchange sweets. In this way, they strengthen the bond between their siblings.
It is believed that Yamuna and Yama stayed apart for a long time; to meet her brother, she asked crows to send her a message. But Yama was too busy and so she didn’t get a reply.
However, on the second day of Tihar, she called for Yama’s informant – a dog – and told it to go and send her a message. In return, the dog circled Yama with mustard oil, flowers, and dubo (Cynodon dactylon).
