The main gate of Fukoji Temple is said to be a replica of the Yomeimon Gate of Nikko Toshogu Shrine, and was commissioned by the temple’s parishioners through donations, so they must have been very wealthy at the time. Moreover, it was built to withstand heavy snowfall of up to 3 meters. Therefore, many support beams are placed at the eaves to withstand the weight of the snow.
More famous here is the Bishamondo Naked Pushing Festival held in early March. When I visited, it was just two days before the festival, and preparations were in full swing. The young men were in the process of carrying a large candle weighing 50 kg. During the festival, they move around carrying the candle, so they are covered in hot wax.
Bishamondo Temple was built by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who pacified Tohoku during the Heian period, to pray for victory and a bountiful harvest. In the past, the statue of Bishamonten was only unveiled during the New Year’s visit, and the festival originated from people pushing and shoving to get to the temple as quickly as possible. However, nowadays, one can’t help but think that there’s no need to strip naked, perform water rituals, and then push and shove each other naked inside a temple. In the Tohoku region, winter naked festivals are still held at temples, shrine and others in various places, and usually the main event is a scramble to grab the first good fortune of the new year. However, here it’s simply a matter of pushing and shoving, so unless you participate, you really won’t understand how everyone gets into a trance-like state. Despite attracting many visitors in the midst of a snowstorm exceeding 3 meters, it might be wiser to watch the live stream on YouTube.
Source: @bisyamondo
Detour
A bronze statue of Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, who hails from this region, stands proudly in front of east side of Urasa Station. The fact that it has a snow-sheltering roof above it is typical of a snowy region. Just like Fukoji Temple, on the west side of the station there is Ezumiya, which makes bento boxes to order. Even though they are bento boxes, the rice is from Uonuma, so it’s delicious.
