The Most Unique Festivals in the World
Whether you're looking for an unusual holiday or just want to have some fun, these festivals should be on your bucket list. From a competition where people race down a hill to chase a nine-pound cheese, to an event where men dress up as devils and jump over babies, there are plenty of unique festivals out there.
Kanamara Matsuri
The Kanamara Matsuri is arguably the most unique festival in Japan. Taking place annually in Kawasaki at Kanayama Shrine, the festival is centered around the male and female reproductive organs and is one of the most fun, inclusive, and entertaining festivals in Japan. If you want to book the best festival events then check out the Sky View Observatory Coupon Codes.
The festival draws a huge crowd of foreigners who flock to the event to gawk and giggle at the outlandish celebrations. While it may seem a little odd to be celebrating genitalia in Japan, where sex is not generally discussed in public, this festival celebrates the fact that there are so many ways for people to express themselves.
Visitors will find the festival very much like Mardi Gras. There are three phallus-shaped portable shrines that participants carry in a parade through the streets of the area surrounding the temple. These mikoshis have a range of phallic-shaped sacred objects inside, including a pink Elizabeth (donated to the festival by a cross-dressing club in Asakusabashi) and a black phallus-shaped shrine.
In addition to the mikoshi, there is plenty of themed merchandise available. There are phallic-shaped candles in assorted colors, a selection of sweets and knick-knacks, and even a lollipop that looks like a penis!
While this festival may appear a little outlandish, it is considered a healthy way to celebrate sex and fertility. It is a safe, friendly, and very inclusive event that focuses on celebrating differences, diversity, and the weirdness and wonderfulness of the world!
The Mikoshi parade is a spectacle and one that everyone should see. However, the festival is not recommended for anyone with serious medical conditions, and it is best to respect the rules of the local community in which the festival takes place.
Naki Sumo
One of the most unique festivals in the world is Naki Sumo, which is a centuries-old festival that takes place at Shinto shrines throughout Japan. It pivots around a ceremonial prayer for each baby’s health, followed by an outdoor crying contest between infants held in a handmade sumo wrestling ring.
According to Japanese folklore, a crying baby has the power to drive away evil spirits and encourage prosperity. It is also believed that a baby’s cries will help them grow strong and healthy.
The Naki Sumo Crying Baby Festival is a very special event that takes place each year at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo. It involves pairing tiny toddlers up with a novice sumo wrestler who will try to get them to cry.
Usually, the referee will goad the children by chanting “naki naki,” which translates to “cry!” into their faces. This is not always enough to induce them to cry but sometimes they do.
Once the babies start to cry, they are then held high into the air so that their cries will reach heaven. This will strengthen their blessing and ensure that they will have a long, happy life.
In some places, the number of parents who want to have their kids participate in the festival exceeds the available spots, so a lottery system is used to select the participants.
Although the husky samurai rikishi can be quite scary, their purpose in the competition is to bring happiness and prosperity to the babies who will be taking part in the festival. This makes the entire experience more enjoyable for both the child and the parent.
Kukur Tihar
Kukur Tihar, also known as Dog Festival, is a five-day Hindu holiday celebrated in Nepal. It celebrates dogs as messengers and guardians of the dead, a relationship that is deeply rooted in Hinduism.
On the day, people adorn their canine companions with flower garlands, apply red tikas (marks on their forehead), and offer them inviting food after a ceremonial function. This is a significant time for Nepali dog lovers, who believe that the act of feeding a pet makes it happy and helps to move away all sins from its life.
Besides worshiping the canines, Nepalese also honor stray dogs in Kukur Tihar. These animals have been abused and mistreated, but they are still loved and respected by the local community.
Another important part of the celebration is the ritual of appreciating brothers and sisters. On the fifth day, sisters give their brothers tika to symbolize longevity in their lives and express their love for them.
Sisters usually spend time with their brothers and give them gifts; they also exchange sweets. In this way, they strengthen the bond between their siblings.
It is believed that Yamuna and Yama stayed apart for a long time; to meet her brother, she asked crows to send her a message. But Yama was too busy and so she didn’t get a reply.
However, on the second day of Tihar, she called for Yama’s informant – a dog – and told it to go and send her a message. In return, the dog circled Yama with mustard oil, flowers, and dubo (Cynodon dactylon).
Seasonal Discount Code is considered the most important of all the festivals, as it focuses on the relationship between human beings and their animal companions. Whether you are a dog lover or not, you should consider celebrating this unique festival once in your lifetime.
Busojaras
If you've ever wanted to visit a village and participate in a folk tradition, you should look no further than Busojaras. This festival is a unique and exciting experience that lasts six days.
It's the time of year when the Hungarian town of Mohacs celebrates one of its most unique festivals, which has been included on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009. The festival is about chasing away winter and welcoming spring.
There are two main groups of participants during Busojaras – the masked men known as buses and the women dressed in folk costumes called masques. The buses wear masks carved from willow and painted with animal blood, sheepskin hoods, and straw-filled trousers. They also have a cowbell attached to their belts and carry a ratchet in one hand and a wooden mace in the other.
The masks are a key part of this tradition and each bus is assigned a different mask, which they then cover with straw. They are also accompanied by the ankle, who walk around in ragged clothes and whose job it is to keep children and ladies away from the buses.
These two groups of people, as well as the other costumed characters, all dance, and chant during Busojaras. In addition, there are lots of noisemakers and horns that go off in the streets.
As with most folk festivals, the participants aren't subject to conventional moral rules during this period. The entire ritual is based on a suspension of civility, and everyone gets to have a great time!
While the story of how this tradition started is not completely clear, it is believed to have originated during the Battle of Mohacs in 1526. According to the legend, a knight from Turkey arrived in the area and asked villagers to pillage the town. The townspeople ran into town in DIY masks made of fabric, tree bark, and leaves and scared the Turks off. This led to a rumor that demons were present in the town. The town was then freed from Turkish rule in 1687 and the Sokci people who lived in the area brought with them their celebrations, which later became the Busojaras we know today.
Las Bolas de Fuego
Every year on 31 August, residents of Nejapa in El Salvador celebrate a festival called Las Bolas de Fuego. This strange local custom sees 2 teams paint their faces to look like skulls, soak their clothes and a pair of gardening gloves in water, and take to the streets for an 'unregulated battleground' where they hurl palm-sized balls of fire at each other, sometimes in the direction of the crowd!
The locals believe that the 'bolas de Fuego is a symbol of a battle between their patron saint San Jeronimo and the Devil. The battle is believed to have occurred when the El Playon volcano erupted in 1658, burying parts of the town and forcing the people to move to the nearby town of Nejapa.
To commemorate this battle between good and evil, two groups of young men are divided into one 'good' team and the other 'evil' team. The 'good' team marinates balls of cloth in kerosene and lights them on fire while the 'evil' team throws them at them, at close range.
This unusual local custom has been around for more than 100 years and is now among the most unique festivals in the world. Although the event is dangerous, there have never been any serious injuries.
Those that do participate are generally young males from the community, as it is seen as a test of their courage. They wear protective gear, but those who do not enjoy the rush of adrenaline that they get from hurling the 'bolas de Fuego.
Conclusion
The world is full of unique and fascinating festivals that celebrate culture, religion, and tradition in various ways. From the tomato-throwing La Tomatina festival in Spain to the masked Carnival of Venice in Italy, there is no shortage of incredible events to experience. Whether you're looking to witness breathtaking parades or participate in wild and wacky customs, there's sure to be a festival out there that will leave you with unforgettable memories.
