Culture

Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival

This year saw the end of Sominsai, a unique festival in which loinclothed men plunge into freezing water, are enveloped in smoke, and jostle through the night to grasp a lucky sack as a form of prayer to the Buddha for a bountiful harvest and plentiful health.

Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival

14m

This year saw the end of Sominsai, a unique festival in which loinclothed men plunge into freezing water, are enveloped in smoke, and jostle through the night to grasp a lucky sack as a form of prayer to the Buddha for a bountiful harvest and plentiful health.

Episodes

  • Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival

    14m

    This year saw the end of Sominsai, a unique festival in which loinclothed men plunge into freezing water, are enveloped in smoke, and jostle through the night to grasp a lucky sack as a form of prayer to the Buddha for a bountiful harvest and plentiful health.

Schedule

  • Image
    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival: TVSS: Staple

    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival

    Friday
    May 23

    1 Hour

    An in-depth look at the end of Sominsai, a unique cultural festival in Japan featuring competitive challenges that act as a purification ritual and form of prayer to the Buddha.
  • Image
    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival: TVSS: Staple

    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival

    Saturday
    May 24

    1 Hour

    An in-depth look at the end of Sominsai, a unique cultural festival in Japan featuring competitive challenges that act as a purification ritual and form of prayer to the Buddha.
  • Image
    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival: TVSS: Staple

    Sominsai: The End of a 1000-Year-Old Festival

    Saturday
    May 24

    1 Hour

    An in-depth look at the end of Sominsai, a unique cultural festival in Japan featuring competitive challenges that act as a purification ritual and form of prayer to the Buddha.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.