Every year on February 11th, Ichinoseki City in southern Iwate celebrates the Daito Ohara Water-Throwing Festival. This unique event has roots dating back to 1657, when a massive fire devastated Edo, which is now modern-day Tokyo. That year was remembered as an unlucky one, and the festival was established as both a fire-prevention prayer and a symbolic fire-fighting ritual.
The heart of the festival features local men in their "yakudoshi," or unlucky years (that's ages 25, 42, and 61), who run nearly naked through the streets of Daito Ohara. As the procession moves through town, residents and onlookers wait with buckets of cold water, dousing the runners while shouting encouragement and making their own wishes for health, safety, and prosperity.
The water splashing may seem lighthearted, but it does carry a deeper meaning. Each splash is thought to wash away misfortune and purify both the runners and the community. The event is also a way of wishing for fire safety, a serious concern in traditional wooden towns, while celebrating resilience and togetherness.
