From the Aoshima Shrine Hadakamairi Festival on January 15, 1999

Every January 15th the Aoshima Shrine holds a festival to pray for safety in the coming year. The Taiko Drums are rolled out of the truck and the drummers play in the center of Aoshima town.

Soon some young boys come running down the main street past the Taiko drummers.

Some more men dressed only in mawashi are behind them.

Here they come around the corner.

Eventually they all reach the beach for some ceremonial moments.

And then on this cool January day, they walk over the rocks toward the water.

And into the water they step.

After the cool refreshing dip, they return to the shrine for more ceremony. Then, back to the center of town for some mochi making.

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This page was created on October 1, 1999 and re-created in July 2003 and again in Sept. 2005