Clad in Fundoshis and rushing in the cold for talismans, the Doya-Doya festival of Shitennō Temple

Translated from the original article at: http://abeno.keizai.biz/headline/301/

January 14, 2012

In the middle of the cold, but still piling up. (Doya-doya festival)

(In a ritual marking the end of the Buddhist Shushoe period) Men in fundoshis rushed for scattered lucky talismans at the Doyadoya festival. It took place on the 14th, at the Rokuji Hall of the Shitennō temple (Osaka city, Tennō temple ward, Tennō Temple 1).

At the Doyadoya festival, last year's bad habits are corrected. Also, happiness, world peace and an abundant harvest are prayed for. The day of the festival marks the end of the Shushoe period, where wishes from New Year's Day until the 14th are finalized.

On that day, the temperature was just 8 degrees, attracting many sightseers. The youngest among them were 290 students from Izumi children’s kindergarten, Miikedai kindergarten, Yuuhigaoka nursery and Hidenen kindergarten. Boys half naked and girls lightly dressed in t-shirts ran around the temple grounds together, yelling at the cold weather in defiance.

One thousand young men from the Shitennō Temple Habikigaoka Mid/High Schools, the Seifu Mid/High Schools, and the Seifunankai High School participated. Divided between groups wearing red and white fundoshis, they yelled out at the entrance, being sprayed by water as their victory was decided on the scramble for lucky talismans.

An adjoining event took place in the temple grounds. New Year's decorations were burnt as offerings in a Tondoyaki ceremony (Japanese site).

Original text:

四天王寺で護符を奪い合う祭り「どやどや」－寒さの中、ふんどし姿で

(2012年01月14日）

寒い中でも盛り上がった「どやどや」

四天王寺（大阪市天王寺区四天王寺1）六時堂で1月14日、ふんどし姿でばらまかれた護符を奪い合う祭り「どやどや」（修正会結願法要）が行われた。

どやどやは、旧年の悪習を正し、その年の吉祥を祈り、天下泰平・五穀豊穣（ほうじょう）を祈願し元旦から14日まで行われている「修正会（しゅしょうえ）」の結願日の祭り。

当日は、気温約8度の寒い中、多くの見物客が訪れた。最初に和泉チャイルド幼稚園・御池代幼稚園・四天王寺夕陽丘保育園・四天王寺悲田院幼稚園の園児290人が男児は上半身裸、女児はTシャツなどの軽装で「わっしょい」の掛け声と共に境内を回った。

四天王寺羽曳丘中学・高校、清風中学・高校、清風南海高校の男子学生約1000人は、ふんどし姿で赤・白組に分かれ掛け声と共に入場すると、水を掛けられながら護符を奪い合って勝敗を決めた。

併せて、境内では正月の飾り物のおたきあげ「とんどやき」も行われた。