February festivals part 3

Next week we’ll start looking at various festivals and events in March, but today we’ll still talk about a couple of February festivals that you may not be aware of.

Saidai-ji Eyo in Japan

This is what is known as a ‘naked festival’ and that’s a little bit of an overstatement since participants do wear loincloths. However, these naked festivals are quite common in Japan throughout the early New Year but the most extraordinary one can be found in the Kannon-in temple located outside of Okayama.

This festival is part sumo wrestling, part scrum and part orgy, with thousands of near-naked men fighting for possession of two sacred shingi, or wooden sticks, all this while freezing water is poured over them.

The thing is not for the faint of heart or the faint of body, hypothermia is a definite maybe, and getting smacked in the mouth is a guarantee. The battle can get quite intense, so much so that the yakuza apparently fields competitors in the event.

It’s definitely something unique if anything.

Art Deco Weekend in New Zealand

Often-times it is catastrophe that makes way for something wonderful to behold and innovation, so it is when the town of Napier was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1931, only for the Art Deco movement that was in full swing at that time to move in and rebuilt the entire town in its likeness.

The Art Deco Weekend is actually a four-day event, in which the ‘30s come back for a bit of a refresher course in style and music. The event features balls, big bands, jazz, dances and drinks, and the streets are filled with vintage vehicles while the skies thrum with equally vintage aircraft.

This is a definite must-see for all Art Deco lovers and everyone who just enjoys that era.

Keep some worldwide car rental services in mind when visiting either of these countries.