1,000-year-old Japanese 'Naked Festival' ends due to aging population
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The ancient Hadaka Matsuri festival, more commonly known as "Naked Festival," has come to a poignant end due to Japan's aging population. The 1,000-year-old ritual, which takes place at Kokuseki Temple in Iwate Prefecture throughout the night of the 7th day of the Lunar New Year, came to an end on Saturday. The final celebration was a shortened version and ended around 11:00pm, but it drew the largest crowd in recent memory, according to locals.