Yanaizu temple 🙏

#falltrip Located a short distance away from the Samurai City of Aizuwakamatsu, Yanaizu is a small town boasting the birthplace of a Fukushima Prefecture legend - the Akabeko. Yanaizu also hosts various events throughout the year, including the Yanaizu Naked Man Festival in January where local men dressed in loincloths wrestle each other in order to be the first to climb up a rope into the rafters to ring a gong. Akabeko, literally translated as "red cow," is a legend dating back to the 9th century. A herd of red cows helped with the construction of the temple, and a statue was constructed in its honor. There are slight variations to the legend, but the cow is well known as a symbol of patience, strength and good fortune.