Saturday, 16 May 2009

Japan #3 -Kanamara Matsuri

Without a doubt, one of the most remarkable festivals in the world: Kanamara Matsuri - which means Festival of the Steel Phallus sometimes refereed as “the Penis Festival” for obvious reasons ;)


It's an annual Shinto fertility held in Kawasaki celebrated on the first Sunday of Spring.



As you can see, the main theme of the event is penis, reflected in all kinds of forms: illustrations, candy, decorations.



It takes place around phallic shrine (or penis-venerating shrine).
Some say, it was build based on a local legend. Legend says that a demon hid inside a girl, forcing her to castrate two men on their wedding nights. Then a blacksmith made an iron phallus that was used to break the demon's teeth. It's also said that divine protects business prosperity, easy delivery, marriage, and married couple harmony.


Nowadays, this festival become a tourist attraction. It helps to raise money for HIV/AIDS research.


10 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. In the past two articles I didn't want to write it, but after this one here I go:

    Japanese are sex-crazed people.

    It's not just this Penis Festival. Look at these anime girls in the previous article - they all look like porn star in tight outfits and in the movie it said they are only 13 or so.

    And don't ask me what they do with these dressed up dogs...

    'I don't know, I don't wanna know, I'm out.' (from South Park, episode 'Return of The Fellowship of The Two Towers')

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  3. At least they are organizing a lot of these type of festivals. I wish we could have the same here.

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  4. s6497:
    All people are somehow "sex-crazed". Europeans were (are?) organizing love parade and such, so there is no big difference here.

    And I agree with Jacek, at least they are organizing something.
    All polish festival fall in three following categories:
    1. Ceremonial mass
    2. National holiday
    3. Soccer game

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  5. Maciej: "so there is no big difference" but do you seen this in Europe?
    http://synaptoman.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/orgy02.jpg

    I also agree that they at least are organizig something ;p

    btw
    Don't forget the strikes. It's very common sort of our festival ;P

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  6. I think this is a pretty interesting holiday, which I would not like to
    be a part of. I think that Asian countries are much more open minded and
    tolernat when it comes to some issues. I believe that a "penis festival"
    would most likely not be a very well welcomed event in Poland. I think
    that our mentality towards homosexualism and similar issues is very
    limited. Festivals like this one can be a great example of differences
    in cultures all around the world. I am glad that Warsaw does not have a
    penis festival, but I think it would be a good experience to attend one.

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  7. I think that festival is a great idea. People are having fun and money is gathered for a good purpose. It’s true that people in Japan are more open-minded. Sometimes it’s hard to understand them, but it’s because they are so much different than people in Europe.

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  8. I also agree that they at least organize this kind of events... Can you imagine Pennis Festival in Poland??? It would never get a permission from "our Duck" or "Father-Director" ;)

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  9. Ok I must say that Japanese are wicked. They are so open to sex like no other nation right now on planet. They watch it, they show it and they love it.

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  10. Wow im under impression of this Festival ... I agree that Japanese are a bit wicked, its creepy how many sex-strange-acts they show in their movies - for example in movie called "Tokyo Gore Police" there is woman without legs and she is eating people with her vagina ... o_O

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