Hakozakigu Shrine “Tama Seseri”

At one of Japan’s three great Hachiman shrines, Hakozakigu in Fukuoka, the “Tama Seseri” (Tamatori Festival) is a New Year ritual said to have begun about 500 years ago in the Muromachi period. Held every year on January 3, it is widely known as one of the Three Great Festivals of Kyushu.

The highlight of the festival is the fierce struggle over the 陽玉 (yang ball)-an 8-kg purified wooden sphere. After being ritually cleansed by the shrine priests, two spheres (yin and yang) are presented, and half-naked participants split into two teams, the land side and seaside, compete to seize the yang ball. It is believed that touching the sacred sphere brings good fortune and protects against misfortune, making the dynamic clash of bodies and voices all the more intense. The contest continues all the way to the main gate, where the winning team delivers the sphere to the priests, who then pair it with the yin sphere and offer both to the main sanctuary to conclude the ritual.

The festival is also believed to predict the year’s fortune: if the land team wins, it signals a good harvest, and if the shore team wins, it foretells a good fishing year. A children’s version of the Tama Seseri is also held on the day, and the approach to the shrine fills with many food stalls. The event draws around 50,000 visitors every year.