The Paantu festival is held in the village of Shimajiri, in the south of Miyako Island, on dates determined by the lunar calendar — usually October or November. Three figures, their bodies completely covered in grey mud and island vegetation, emerge from the jungle and walk through the village touching doorways, walls, and people to drive away evil and bring good fortune for the coming year. The ritual is ancient — its precise origins are unknown even to scholars — and entirely unlike anything else in Okinawa.
The Paantu was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1977. The festival takes place over two or three evenings; no admission is charged. If you attend, respect the rules: don't wipe mud off if you're touched, and ask before photographing. The festival is not performed for tourists, and the village prefers it that way.