Thousands laugh at Japanese shrine ritual to pray for good fortune

Residents and visitors gathered at Japan’s Hiraoka Shrine in Higashiosaka on December 23, 2025, to take part in the Owarai Shinji. The centuries-old ritual involves participants laughing continuously, in the belief that their chuckling will bring positivity and brighter days ahead. Held each winter, the ceremony is inspired by a myth in which the sun goddess Amaterasu is enticed by the laughter of the gods to restore light to the world.