Held each winter in Iwate's Hachimantai City, the Hiragasa Naked Pilgrimage is one of Japan's more unusual cold weather traditions. Japan is home to many unique winter events, and this one stands out for both its intensity and its rare, female-led history. The pilgrimage takes place every year on January 8th and focuses on prayers for good health, household safety, and bountiful harvests.
Despite its name, participants are not completely nude. As with many so-called "naked" rituals in Japan, the participants wear simple white ceremonial clothing that symbolizes purity and spiritual humility rather than literal nudity. The event dates back to the 1710s, when it began as a prayer to calm Mount Iwate. Originally performed by men, the ritual was taken over by women when men went off to war, making it a nationally rare example of a women-led naked pilgrimage.
The day begins with cold-water purification, followed by prayers at Miyata Shrine. At 9am, the procession sets off, passing temples and shrines before concluding at Yasaka Shrine in Obuke.
