Home lifestyle Travel Unusual Cultural Traditions Yo...

Unusual Cultural Traditions You Can Experience While Traveling

Travel

Business Honor
30 April, 2025

Travel doesn’t necessarily have to wandering around the world or ticking off your bucket lists — it is about getting to know about a lot of interesting customs and tradition that make each culture unique. While some cultures are widely known, others remain unknown and sometimes even unusual. Experiencing these firsthand can give you unique insights into a community’s values, beliefs and way of life.

Here are some interesting, unusual cultural traditions from around the world that you can actually witness — or even take part in — on your next trip.

1. Baby Jumping Festival – Spain

Held annually in the village of Castrillo de Murcia, El Colacho, or the Baby Jumping Festival, is perhaps one of Spain’s most curious traditions. Taking place during the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi, men dressed as devils leap over rows of babies lying on mattresses in the street. The practice dates back to the 17th century and is believed to cleanse infants of original sin and protect them from evil spirits.

While it may seem bizarre to outsiders, the event is taken very seriously by locals and is steeped in religious symbolism. If you're in northern Spain around June, this surreal and colorful event is definitely worth witnessing.

What Actually Happens?

Babies are laid on mattresses in the street, and men dressed as devils jump over them during the festival. The act is meant to cleanse the infants of sin and bring blessings. It’s a deeply symbolic tradition, performed with great care.

2. Kanamara Matsuri – Japan

Known as the “Festival of the Steel Phallus,” Kanamara Matsuri is held every spring in Kawasaki, Japan. The event celebrates fertility, safe childbirth, and protection from sexually transmitted infections — and yes, it features giant pink phallic-shaped floats, treats, and even souvenirs.

While it may raise eyebrows, the roots of this tradition are practical and deeply cultural. During Japan’s Edo period, sex workers would pray at the Kanayama Shrine for protection from disease. Today, the event has evolved into a lively celebration with a strong message around sexual health and empowerment.

Curious travelers often attend to support local causes, as proceeds go toward HIV research and education. It's a mix of the eccentric and the meaningful — something Japan does so well.

What Actually Happens?

People parade through the streets with giant phallic floats, enjoys themed snacks, and prays at the Kanayama Shrine. The festival promotes fertility and safe sex, while also supporting HIV awareness. It’s a mix of fun, symbolism, and public health advocacy.

3. Living with the Dead – Indonesia

In the highlands of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, the Torajan people observe a centuries-old tradition that might shock many: they live alongside their deceased loved ones. In a practice called Ma’nene, families exhume, clean, and redress the bodies of their relatives every few years, sometimes even posing for photos.

Death in Toraja is not seen as an immediate end but a long journey. Funerals are elaborate, sacred affairs, and it's common for bodies to remain in the house for weeks, months, or even years before a proper burial. While it might seem macabre to outsiders, it is an expression of love, remembrance, and respect.

For those interested in anthropology or cultural rituals surrounding death, a visit to Toraja offers deep, emotional insights into a way of life rarely seen elsewhere.

What Actually Happens?

Families keep deceased bodies at home and interact with them like living relatives. Every few years, they exhume and groom the bodies as part of a ceremony. This practice honors the dead and strengthens family bonds across generations.

4. Hadaka Matsuri – Japan

Another Japanese tradition that often surprises travelers is the Hadaka Matsuri, or "Naked Festival." Thousands of men dressed only in loincloths gather in Okayama each February to compete for good fortune by catching sacred sticks thrown into a temple.

Though chaotic and physically intense, the festival symbolizes purification and strength. Participation is considered a rite of passage for many Japanese men, and visitors can spectate (or even join with permission) in what is a wild, unforgettable celebration of ancient belief.

What Actually Happens?

Thousands of nearly naked men compete to grab sacred sticks thrown into a temple. The one who catches it is believed to receive good fortune for the year. The festival is both chaotic and spiritual, symbolizing purification.

Travel with an Open Mind

These traditions may seem unusual or even shocking, but they highlight the diversity and richness of human expression. As a traveler, it’s important to approach such experiences with curiosity, respect, and sensitivity. Participating — or even just observing — these cultural events can be a profound way to connect more deeply with a place and its people.

Next time you’re planning a trip, look beyond the popular tourist sites. Ask locals about upcoming festivals, rituals, or community events. You might just find yourself in the middle of a celebration you’ll never forget.