Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko-sai Festival (Naked Monk Festival)防府天満宮御神幸祭（裸坊祭）

The Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko-sai Festival venerates Tenjin, the deified form of Sugawara no Michizane, a prominent historical figure, poet, and administrator from the 10th century. Michizane, who faced false accusations, was banished from the Kyoto court to Kyushu in 901, where he later passed away. His death was accompanied by numerous miracles in both Hofu and Kyoto, leading to the belief that he had transcended into a powerful deity. In 1004, an imperial envoy from Emperor Ichijo visited Hofu to conduct a solemn ritual, offering solace to Michizane's spirit and proclaiming his "innocence". Since then, the festival has been celebrated as a means of conveying the "message of innocence".

During the late Edo period, as devotion to Tenjin gained popularity among the general populace, common people also sought to partake in the ceremonies. To demonstrate their purity, they would cleanse themselves in the cold river waters before serving in a state of undress. This practice earned them the nickname "naked monks", eventually leading to the festival being referred to as the "Naked Monks Festival".

The primary procession, featuring a mikoshi (portable shrine) surrounded and carried by nearly unclothed participants, proceeds from the Tenmangu Shrine to the beachfront residence of the shrine. At the beach residence, a ceremonial ritual takes place, following the tradition of the Imperial Messenger Descent Festival, offering prayers to console Michizane's spirit for the "false accusation". Following the ritual, the procession returns to Hofu city and reaches the shrine, where Michizane's revitalised spirit is enshrined. Visitors have the opportunity to receive the deity's protection by passing beneath the Oajiro Koshi, a large portable shrine, during the "Oajiro Koshi Kuguri" ceremony.

• Official Website (Japanese)