New Year's "Hukuotoko" running race at a shrine?!
Happy New Year, everyone!
🎍We wish you another year of joy🎍
The first blog post in 2018 features a new year's event in Japan🗾
"Hukuotoko" running race
In Nishinomiya shrine in Hyogo prefecture, January 10th a running race takes place. I repeat, a competition happens at a shrine. How contradictory is that?!
“This shrine is normally known for “Ebisu-sama” who brings joy”
If in your mind, some images of traditional and tranquil shrine pop up, you're not alone. Unlike peaceful daily, Nishinomiya shrine filled with heated excitement on the race day. 1,500 people run through 230 meters at top speed to Honden, the inner shrine. The first 3 runners will become Hukuotoko, who will have luck during the new year and receives prizes.
This style of visiting a shrine is officially called running worship and has started since Edo era.
Prizes 3 winners receive
1st Luck (1st place)
Certification, wooden carving of Ebisu-sama (large), rice 60㎏, Sake 72ℓ, Ebisu beer supply for an entire year, a Happi coat.
2nd Luck (2nd place)
Certification, wooden carving of ebisu-sama (small), rice 60kg, Ebisu beer supply for 6 months, a Happi coat
3rd Luck (3rd place)
Certification, golden Ebisu-sama & Daikoku-sama statue, Ebisu beer supply for 6 months, a Happi coat.
How to participate the running race at Nishinomiya shrine
1,500 / 258 / 150
Interested in being contestants of the race? You need to be lucky.
First, you need a registration on the day before the race. The registration is on a first come first served basis and space are open for only 1,500 people. You better be quick! Second, you need to win the lottery the morning of the race day. The chance to win is 258/1,500. The 258 (already) lucky winners of the lottery are eligible to participate in the race.
However, this is not yet the end. You need furthermore luck to aim the title of Hukuotoko! Only 108 people will be able to start from the actual starting line section. The rest of 150 people will have to start from way more behind from the starting line in order to avoid congestion.
Plus, running techniques are needed to win the race. Abilities such as sprint, handling 3 corners of the course property, and balance on a slippy course are necessary to obtain the title of Hukuotoko. Reportedly, a dedicated man is practicing his sprint start at the shrine at a time no one seems there so that he won’t bother pedestrians.
What the race is like
Watching this running race makes us feel "The new year has really started!"
The race is WILD. Although few opinions claim it's more of an athletics game than a religious event, this race is familiar to people in Japan as one of the traditions in January. It delivers the feeling of new year's beginning to not only people who are eager to win the title of Hukuotoko but also the audience.
Cite:
http://intakeinfo.jp/archives/6196
http://nishinomiya-ebisu.com/event/event03.html
