Japan’s Insult and Abuse Festival
Insulting people without getting in trouble
Ever wanted to insult people without receiving a fist in reply? Of course you have.
Every year on the 3rd Sunday of December, the polite citizens of Kasama City in Ibaraki Prefecture transform into bullies. It’s a festival called Akutai Matsuri 悪口まつり, or Abusive Language Festival.
It all starts in front of the Iitsuna Shrine, where 13 priests set off on a hike up Mount Atago. They wear white robes and black hats, representing tengu.
Tengu are powerful yōkai that live in the mountains and have embarrassingly long noses. It’s probably the reason they hide in mountains in the first place.
As the priests walk, crowds gather to yell insults at them. Some crowd favorites are “Osoi zo!” (You’re so slow!), “Hayaku agare yo, kono yaro!” (Climb faster you bastards!), and “Bakayaro!” (Dumbass!). Tourists have also been known to yell insults in their own languages.
The priests stop at 16 small shrines to pray and offer charms for health and protection. After patiently waiting for the prayer to finish, people push and shove like mad to steal those charms. Hands off my health and protection, Uncle!
If you are impatient and try to grab the charms before the prayers have finished, the priests will deliver swift justice by smacking you with a bamboo rod.
What in the world started this festival? Well, locals say it began 300 years ago in the Edo Period (1603 - 1868).
Some say it was a way to vent their problems at government officials, like a suggestion box without a box. Others say it was to scare off evil and give people an outlet for their daily frustrations.
The festival ends at the Atago Shrine, where the priests all don tengu masks and throw snacks and rice cakes into the crowd, like feeding time at a zoo of bullies, then everyone yells “Bakayaro!” three times. Everyone leaves a little happier, if slightly hoarse.