毎日新聞 The Mainichi – 7,500 men in loincloths jostle in bizarre ‘Naked Festival’ in central Japan

毎日新聞 The Mainichi – 7,500 men in loincloths jostle in bizarre ‘Naked Festival’ in central Japan
(ふんどし姿の男たち7,500人がひしめき合う奇怪な「裸祭り」中部日本)

INAZAWA, Aichi — Some 7,500 men in loincloths struggled to touch a “lucky man” in the bizarre “Hadaka Matsuri” (Naked Festival) in this central Japan city on Feb. 22, held with no coronavirus-related restrictions for the first time in four years.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the struggle between loincloth-clad participants had been canceled or partially restricted over the past three years. According to Konomiya shrine, where the festival is held, approximately 80,000 spectators gathered this year.

The traditional event has continued for about 1,300 years. It is said that if one touches the “shin-otoko,” or lucky man, one’s bad luck will be expelled. This year, some 7,500 near-naked men participated, a significant increase from last year’s 1,730, when there were restrictions.

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loincloth(s) ふんどし
jostle 〔混雑して〕押し合いへし合いする
bizarre 〔言動・外観・出来事・性質などが普通ではなくて〕奇妙な、奇怪な
[US] bizɑ́r ｜ [UK] bizɑ́ː
coronavirus-related コロナウイルス関
restriction(s) 規制
due to -,
-clad 〜をまとった、着た
approximately　about の強調
expel 追い出す
participate 参加する、 participant(s) 参加者