Including a husband-throwing event.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBtAa3NbuwU

*bump* for SK.

Yeah we definitely won’t be doing that!

There must be something about northern Japan, they have some crazy festivals intended to strengthen bonds. There’s a tradition in Akita where a few local men dress up as (legitimacy scary looking) demons, and go around the neighborhood at night, visiting houses with young children. The demons growl out “where are the crying children, we’re going to take them away…” and the parents make a big show of protecting the children from the demons. They say that children who don’t behave and who cry and don’t listen to their parents will be taken by the demons.

It’s supposed to strengthen the bond between parent and child because the parent protests them, snd also supposed to encourage children to behave.

But it’s also legitimately terrifying.

I’ll see if I can find a video. There are several regions that do it and each is a little different. Some are much more cute, others more realistic.

These videos are very short, take a look.

the less terrifying version:



The more traumatic versions:





Direct links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCkV-q4MPyA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPpgzrmJg4I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e24btQLjz1o

Yikes! Those kiddos look terrified.

quote:

Those kiddos look terrified.

Yep.