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High Schooler Fumiya Ogishi Wins Nishinomiya Shrine's Luckiest Man Race


The traditional Lucky Man Selection race was held at Hyogo's Nishinomiya Shrine, with Takarazuka high school 2nd-year Fumiya Ogishi winning the title of this year's luckiest man. Chosen by lottery to compete, 108 worshippers at the shrine started the race at 6:00 a.m. on Jan. 10 when the beating of drums signaled the opening of the shrine's Akamon Gate. The ritual race is held at the home of Ebessan, the god of successful business, and covers roughly 230 m. The winner is named the Luckiest Man, with the next two earning Second-Luckiest and Third-Luckiest honors.

Ogishi is a member of his school's track and field time and has a 100 m best in the low 12-second range. He commented, "It doesn't feel real yet, but I hope this will be a good year. I'd like to share my good fortune with all the victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake."

Luckiest man: Fumiya Ogishi (high schooler)
2nd-luckiest man: Yuki Komatsu (university student)
3rd-luckiest man: Akihiro Yabuki (university student)

2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in which Nishinomiya Shrine sustained serious damage including the collapse of buildings within its grounds. Despite the damage, ceremonies at the shrine have always continued uninterrupted. This year Junya Kobayashi, a priest from Suzu Hachiman Shrine in Ishikawa which was similarly heavily damaged by last January's Noto Peninsula earthquake, took part in the race as one of the gate protectors holding it closed from the inside until the drums were struck. Kobayashi was enthusiastic about the experience, saying, "I will take some of the good fortune home so that it will help change our misfortune for the better."


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