Japan's Annual Penis Festival
Each spring, in the first week of April, Japan's small town of Kawasaki celebrates 'Kanamara Matsuri', aka the "Festival of the Steel Phallus." Photo courtesy: Tokyodesu.com- Apparently, there's hardly any room to move in the parade and you often have to push your way through all the people and giant penises!
- Today, this event attracts tourists from all over the world and spreads awareness on safe sex and HIV.
- Over time, people started coming to pray for fertility, long marriages, healthy births and then later on for successful business ventures and a prosperous life.
- According to a legend, a sharp-toothed demon hid inside the vagina of a young woman and castrated her husband on their wedding night. The iron penis was forged by a blacksmith to break the demon’s teeth and kill it.
- Most of those who come to pray have a common wish being to conceive.
- The penis, as the central theme of the event, is reflected everywhere, in illustrations, candies, carved vegetables, and other decorations.
- There are penises drawn on faces, penis lollipops, people in penis suits, penis masks and penis t-shirts!
- However, there are still those who come to pray.
- The modern day incarnation sees thousands of people flock to the temple for a day of quirky fun and festivities.
- Tourists suck on penis lollipops, buy penis-themed memorabilia and pose with penis sculptures.
- The festival started in the 17th century, when prostitutes prayed for protection from sexually transmitted infections at Kawasaki's Kanamara shrine.
- Localites can be seen parading with gigantic phallic-shaped mikoshi (portable Shinto shrines).
Each spring, in the first week of April, Japan's small town of Kawasaki celebrates 'Kanamara Matsuri', aka the "Festival of the Steel Phallus." Photo courtesy: Tokyodesu.com
Japan's Annual Penis Festival
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