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Women take part in Japan's 1,250-year-old 'naked festival' for first time

37 Comments
By Chris Gallagher

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37 Comments
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They look well clothed to me?

13 ( +22 / -9 )

 an annual report showed the country was struggling to narrow the gender gap.

Well, I am glad to hear that the gov acknowledges the gender gap, but I hope that the push to "improve women's participation in society" does not end with "donning purple robes and chanting excitedly" but actually takes the form of equal educational opportunities, equal pay and and equal career advancement.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

Good for them - as long as all participants had fun. But, being fully clothed kind of negates the definition of a so-called "naked festival".

9 ( +17 / -8 )

Good for the ladies..

Traditions must survive..

GO JAPAN!!..

-20 ( +6 / -26 )

Appears to be more of a “festival” without the “naked” — with women in happi coats and shorts and men in loincloths.

12 ( +17 / -5 )

Those ojisaan finally let women join festival? They must be really desperate to find people to participate.

Not sure how those women "naked" they can be, Japan is well known for double standard.

.

Female artist can not show her genitalia mock up

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/09/japanese-vagina-kayak-artist-found-guilty-of-obscenity

.

However there are shrines in Japan that have festival and show male genitalia publicly.

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2014/12/80027/megumi-igarashi-vagina-obscenity

-14 ( +12 / -26 )

The women should have worn loincloths too to narrow the gender gap.

5 ( +19 / -14 )

Talk about false advertising!

20 ( +29 / -9 )

Like Twitter, this fest is just another Ex.

5 ( +14 / -9 )

Where are the pics of them without their purple robes?

(disappointed)

Bertie

2 ( +15 / -13 )

Live and let Live, the feeling of being free is un describable.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Disappointed

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

Dammit!

2 ( +10 / -8 )

The women couldn't be more clothed.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Festival needs to update the name!

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Many women wore happi coats (robes that reach to the hips) and shorts that are typically worn at Japanese festivals, although men just wore loincloths similar to those worn by sumo wrestlers.

Very sexist.

Why are the women not in loin clothes and why are they wearing happi coats?

They are equal to men in every way.

The women SHOULD be in loin clothes and have NO happi coats. EQUALITY!

Or else we riot.

Come on now, this is 2024! Not 1524.

3 ( +12 / -9 )

Awesome! They should dress like the men no exceptions.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Sometimes traditions should be left to die gracefully. From my experience with festivals, most of the people don't want to be there, and it's local peer pressure that keeps them going.

One of my friends said every time she sees a bamboo flute, she just wants to snap it because of the pointless hours of tootling she was forced to do for her local festival.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

The point is Roy, one gender wants so-called equality and the other gender agrees and as soon as equal participation is granted the newly participating gender wants to change the rules dramatically to suit them. I don’t consider this equality.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Not a naked festival if their jugs aren't out.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

These beautiful young ladies could just as easily start a new festival called the happi festival.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Everyone with bare breasts and loincloths. Headbands.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

Double standards.

Ask me if I'm surprised.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

A bit over clothed for a 'naked' festival, I'd say. Maybe the name should be "reverse of naked" festival.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Not a naked festival if their jugs aren't out.

Best comment ever.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

More “Fake News”

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

shogun36 Today 10:47 am JST

They are equal to men in every way.

You got to stop thinking in terms of "equality." According to Newspeak everyone is now required to think in terms of "equity." But your overall point is entirely valid: "The women SHOULD be in loin clothes and have NO happi coats." Yes. Anything else would not be equity. We must reach complete parod-, er, parity in all things!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Anyway, according to another article, this was the last naked festival because the next generation of young guys are not taking part. Is that why they let women participate?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I can assure you the young men will participate if there is a jug festival.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

most of them are elderly women. Luckily they had clothes on.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Due to the declining growth of the Japanese population, it should be at least 3 days national holiday and this festival must be promoted in all cities, nationwide!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I totally support women joining this festival, but they need to follow the rules.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

most of them are elderly women. Luckily they had clothes on.

Why? Some of us like that.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What is naked? They need to know this word first before jumping up for the festival.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Junk out, jugs out.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The lady in the photo is tattooed with the details of her child's birth. The time and birth weight. It's first time I've seen someone have that.

I hope the child is less self-centered than our first born!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What is naked? They need to know this word first before jumping up for the festival.

Did you read something to suggest that they are going into it blind, without having any clue what it is?

Or did you just not think your comment through very far?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

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