Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus)
babibubebo | 7 04 2008If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting and enjoy the photos from Japan!
Chalk this up in the category of bizarre Japan. This weekend I had the chance to go to Kanamara Matsuri, commonly referred to by foreigners as “The Penis Festival.” Every year Kanamara Shrine holds this festival on the 1st Sunday in April in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. According to Wikipedia:
The Kanamara Matsuri is centered around a local penis-venerating shrine, once popular among prostitutes who wished to pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. It is said that there are divine protections also in business prosperity and the clan’s prosperity, easy delivery, marriage, and married couple harmony, etc. Today, the festival is used to raise money for HIV research. There’s also a legend of a demon that hid inside a young girl and castrated two young men on their wedding nights before a blacksmith fashioned an iron phallus that was used to break the demon’s teeth, leading to the enshrinement of the item.
Metropolis had this to say in their article about Kanamara Matsuri:
Today, the highlights of this saucy festival include transvestites parading through the town’s streets carrying a mikoshi (portable shrine) with a humongous pink phallus on top. And, if that’s not guaranteed to make you blush as deeply as the surrounding cherry blossoms, then the spectacle of grandmas and grandpas sucking on carnal candy and sweetmeat replicas of this stupendous phallus, is more than likely to. Other attractions include locals carving penises out of daikon (radish), children and young women sitting astride penis-shaped seesaws for good luck and fertility blessings, as well as a seated banquet in the compound of Kanamara Jinja (aka Wakamiya Hachiman-gu shrine) where the phallic radishes are auctioned.
As you might expect, because of the nature of this festival, the photos and videos I have are probably not safe for work (NSFW), but neither are they x-rated. The photos and videos from Kanamara Matsuri are not for everyone; however, they are somewhat interesting, sometimes surprising, usually inappropriate and definitely bizarre. If this sounds like something that would interest you, then continue on at your own risk to see the photos and a movie.
I have been in Japan for more than 3 years now and I am very rarely surprised by much of anything anymore…That being said, I was surprised about a couple things at this festival…
I thought a lot of people would be somewhat shy around the giant phallus, but it pretty much the opposite. I was really surprised how people were not only posing but holding their poses and waiting for everyone to take photos! Some people would even do a couple different poses, turn to one side, then turn to the other.
And I mean it is not like it isn’t obvious that EVERYONE is either taking photos and/or videos of them. See for yourself.
The other thing that surprised me was how many people brought young children and made it a family event. A lot of families seem fine with their young sons or daughters sucking on a lollipop shaped like a penis or having the children pose with the big phallus. I mean, really? You think that even though everyone obviously is taking photos that they will not take your photo or is it that you just don’t care?
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t consider myself conservative by any means and I was not offended, embarrassed, or uncomfortable to be at the penis festival, but just knowing that my mom and dad read my website from time to time makes me somewhat uncomfortable posting about Kanamara Matsuri! I am not sure I would like to go to this festival with my parents and if I had kids, if I were to bring them, I seriously doubt I would let them suck a penis or vagina shaped lollipop with so many people/photographers around. Especially in Japan where everyone has a cellphone, and every cellphone can take photos and/or videos. I mean, REALLY? These people don’t mind? This isn’t an awkward situation?
Anyway, there are two main parts to the penis festival, the parade and the events at the shrine. The parade is fairly short and participants carry around 3 portable shrines. A big steel phallus, a big pink phallus (carried by transvestites) and a wooden one.
The shrine is where most of these photos are from and maybe you can get a good idea of what goes on there. In addition to posing with penis you can, carve a penis (or vagina) from a large radish, eat food shaped like a penis (or vagina), walk over a relatively small penis or buy numerous things shaped like a penis (or vagina), all presumably for good luck with being fertile and protection from HIV and other STDs.
Now this guy has the right idea.
If you want to see more, there are a lot more photos of the penis festival in my gallery. The password is “i am mature” with NO spaces and NO quotations. Below is a video. If you cannot see it, here it is in google video.
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Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus--The Penis Festival)... Kanamara Matsuri
www.japansoc.com | 12 04 2008Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus–The Penis Festival)…
Kanamara Matsuri in Kawasaki, Japan is a wacky festival that celebrates fertility and protection from HIV and other STDs. How do you get protection? By eating penis lollipops, carving penises from radishes, sitting on a giant wooden penis, and walkin…
This is why Japan rules, and why all other countries
Mike | 15 04 2008This is why Japan rules, and why all other countries suck!
Except Canada and a few other places. 
Haha, well all countries have things that are good and
babibubebo | 19 04 2008Haha, well all countries have things that are good and bad, including Japan… That being said, this probably is part of the good side of Japan!
[...] von 800 TV Kanälen und 2 Millionen Kochsendungen finden.
oddity world « Tourismus 2.0 | 28 04 2008[...] von 800 TV Kanälen und 2 Millionen Kochsendungen finden. Ein Besuch auf dem jährlichen „Japanese Phallic Festival“ heitert sicher ebenso auf wie der „Marathon des Sables“, so man ihn denn überlebt. Aber [...]
[...] de la babibubebo, unde gasiti si mai multe [...]
NSFW: Kanamara Matsuri (Festivalul Penisului) » Bakaism.net | 3 05 2008[...] de la babibubebo, unde gasiti si mai multe [...]
Great photos and information, I just don't get why you
Will | 3 05 2008Great photos and information, I just don’t get why you would feel so uncomfortable about being seen in the presence of penis replicas. If the festival involved exposing your own penis to the world I could understand, because this would involve making a very private part of you public, but what’s the big deal about a wooden phallus? It is representative of part of the human body, and a very important part – without which your parents would not have been able to conceive you – what is there to be embarrassed or shy about? Indeed, the most attractive feature of your photos is that they show people having a good time and enjoying themselves in the presence of penises – and why not – after all, as anyone who has one or has regular contact with one, they can be a lot of fun!
God Bless Japan.
Rob | 6 05 2008God Bless Japan.
This website www.custombobble.com can create yourself + a a penis
Janes Smith | 6 05 2008This website http://www.custombobble.com can create yourself + a a penis replicas side by side…. LOL
@ Will, I understand what you are saying and
babibubebo | 7 05 2008@ Will, I understand what you are saying and really and if it were just posing next to them and celebrating the penis then I would probably be ok with it; however, it is not just posing with them, it is posing with them in very suggestive ways. I mean, what parent would like to see their child sucking on a penis shaped lollipop (or vice versa) and posing for a bunch of photographers. I am not against this festival or celebrating life and the importance of reproduction, but I am saying I would feel more comfortable going with my friends rather than with my family….
Oh no sex is bad! Let's nuke them again! Seriously, in some
Shorel | 9 05 2008Oh no sex is bad!
Let’s nuke them again!
Seriously, in some Asian countries (not China) population is not growing, and sex is obviously the way to increase population.
I can only think that they have a much healthier view of sex than any of us western people.
We seem to do a lot of sex and flatulence jokes because, face it, we live feeling shame of our bodies and biological process.
They don’t seem to see anything wrong with the fact that people have penises and vaginas, and they are right!
[...] Speechless. http://www.babibubebo.com/2008/04/07/kanamara-matsuri-festival-of-the-steel-phallus/#more-706 [...]
Speechless. « Jon’s Uninteresting Life | 11 05 2008[...] Speechless. http://www.babibubebo.com/2008/04/07/kanamara-matsuri-festival-of-the-steel-phallus/#more-706 [...]
thanks for this
Mikey | 18 05 2008thanks for this
waw, very nice pics fof very creative event. No festival
David | 27 05 2008waw, very nice pics fof very creative event. No festival like this in my country.
Haha, yeah, "creative" is a nice way to describe it!
babibubebo | 3 06 2008Haha, yeah, “creative” is a nice way to describe it!
Overall, societies that have good sex education have lower rates
Hania Trzaskowski | 18 06 2008Overall, societies that have good sex education have lower rates of teenage pregnancy and more awareness about pregnancy, HIV, and other STD’s. Simply put – if you expose your children even at a young age that body parts are to be CELEBRATED, and RESPECTED and HONORED rather than SHAMED – they are more likely to approach sex in their own lives with more fun yet also reverence and respect.
In many older societies, girls would be married and or pregnant by age 14 or 15. These days, it’s hard to find a 10 year old kid who doesnt know what sex is – however – many of these kids will have obscure back-door information from friends and peers that include many mytghs about it.
In tribal societies, often kids know from a very young age that it’s something that adults do, considering they are often sleeping in the same hut at the same time of it occuring@ We may think that’s disgusting and weird, but kids aren’t going to get away doing it when they sleep under the same room either every night. They would think us weird for hiding in the shadows about it all. This is more a choice of personal ethics and morals, and just like others can’t push our morals onto us, we cannot push our values, ethics and morals onto any other person or society.
Kids should be encouraged to ask questions, to be exposed to know what sex is and what it is all about – after all – awareness is the biggest key in prevention of unwanted pregnancies and STD’s – so in essence – the festival DOES increase fertility and reduce risk of infection – by providing a forum for people to LEARN.
Just the other day I was checking out a kids game website for my nieces. I found a predator in the chat room – caught red handed and I reported him. What I really liked is the fact that a 10 year old and a 12 year old on there at the time were well educated by their parents about sex, about predators, and about online etiquette, what to watch out for…. if they were left in the dark, perhaps these kids would have been gullible enough to be taken in by a pedophile.
Protect your children – expose them to awareness about sex and what it is and why people do it.
isint that wierd???? it is to me a little bit
Daniela | 18 06 2008isint that wierd????
it is to me a little bit and ?????why would you have a penis Festivle?????
But Its Still !COOL! I’v never seen a festivle like that….. In two years im going to get to go to japan i hope that when Im their that the festivle will be goin on at that time…
!!!JAPAN RULES!!!
It's very surprise.
babylu | 20 06 2008It’s very surprise.
jeetug | 23 06 2008very hot and very fun. japan totally rocks
akihiro | 19 07 2008very hot and very fun. japan totally rocks
Western values are indeed strange. When we see people undressed,
Duane | 20 08 2008Western values are indeed strange. When we see people undressed, celebrating the human form, or openly discussing sex we consider it lewd and try to censor or prohibit the act. However, when we see women and men completely covered as in certain religous sects around the world, we go to war and kill for their freedom to uncover themselves.
Hahaha, that's incredible, SO impressive!
Miumiu | 2 09 2008Hahaha, that’s incredible, SO impressive!
[...] (some of which Luigi nibbled) that I really don’t
I can’t believe it’s not meat/fish/eggs/a penis at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog | 14 09 2008[...] (some of which Luigi nibbled) that I really don’t want to get into here on a Sunday morning. See for yourself. Or Google Daikon Penis. « An Indian view of Indian [...]
[...] as legitimate as the day is long, well, maybe
Women Wearing Fundoshi | Neil Duckett | 18 09 2008[...] as legitimate as the day is long, well, maybe not these specific pics i don’t know, but the Kanamara Matsuri “Festival of the Steel Phallus” that happens every year on the 1st Sunday in April is. [...]
бля...... пиздец..... хулисосы!..
ПИДОР | 15 12 2008бля……
пиздец…..
хулисосы!..
[...] you should be searching the internet for at work!
Kawasaki | Japan Photo Guide | A Photgrapher's Travel Guide to Japan | 2 02 2009[...] you should be searching the internet for at work! In any case, I have a detailed report of Kanamara Matsuri if you are interested in it (not x-rated and no real nudity, just a lot of phallic stuff and some [...]
puahaa... :D gslilere yedircen bunları :D:D
gfb6 | 20 02 2009puahaa…
gslilere yedircen bunları 
:D
"Dick Day" It's all cool really, it's a Japanese National Tradition
Alan Price | 28 02 2009“Dick Day”
It’s all cool really, it’s a Japanese National Tradition celebrated in a festive-fashion.
(Now with a ‘western-twist’ involving super-perversity’ -> in your own opinions)
The celebration is perfectly fine, the people have simply opened-up.
Compare these ‘antics’ with ‘brits-abroad’ – what do you think?
What springs to mind!
“….in celebration of your member….”
“…members only….”
“…penis pooja…”
Well .... I read all the posts ... Eastern and
A Muslim | 14 03 2009Well …. I read all the posts … Eastern and western views
I am not going into the details of this festival origin or its purpose
I just want to tell you people that ALLAH who is the creator of humans dislike to expose our body
You people will say Why? its natural
My answer is that just check the ultimate results ….consider the social structure of your societies … rapidly declining in moral values
but we are rich in this areas …
there is some value of GOD sayings … we just obey GOD … if GOD commended us not to expose your hidden parts then we should try to understand it …. should not develop our own designs for these matters..
keep it to yourself. No one cares. its about culture
to the guy above me | 26 03 2009keep it to yourself. No one cares. its about culture and respecting the cultures and values and RELIGIONS of other countries and how some are…odd x) in some peoples opinions. but never wrong. and by PUSHING your damn religion in peoples faces it says to me you dont give a damn about what anyone else thinks only what you and YOUR god think. だからうるせえお前！ －。－；
ところでカナマラ祭りはめちゃ面白いんだよ ｘD 行った事は無いけど。 ＾＾
[...] In Japan it’s just about time for the annual
weapons of massdistraction › Let the Wheel Come Around | 1 04 2009[...] In Japan it’s just about time for the annual Festival of the Steel Phallus. [...]
[...] on over to this website (a photographers travel guide
Japan is either crazy or progressive, not sure which - Absurd Intellectual | 6 04 2009[...] on over to this website (a photographers travel guide to Japan) to see a lot more (NSFW) photos of the festival. Seriously, [...]
[...] lien en anglais [...]
Je vous laisse je vais au festival du pénis… | BESTBUZZ, la référence | 6 04 2009[...] lien en anglais [...]
[...] Here is the article. [...]
JAPAN CELEBRATE THE PENIS- Speechless « Njolinjo Speaks | 6 04 2009[...] Here is the article. [...]
OH YEAH! This festival is AWESOME! Check out the video
Japan Fertility Festival Video | 7 04 2009OH YEAH! This festival is AWESOME! Check out the video we made a few years ago in the above link.
I LOVE JAPAN! :O)
[...] [1] [2] [3] [4] [...]
Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) | Asia and the West! Odd, Bizarre, Weird, Wacky News | 9 04 2009[...] [1] [2] [3] [4] [...]
[...] recomiendo que lo imprimáis, por ejemplo utilizando esto.
enmimano.org/enchan : Bingo turístico japonés | 1 06 2009[...] recomiendo que lo imprimáis, por ejemplo utilizando esto. 22 25 7 1 24 10 9 6 23 8 21 4 2 17 3 11 13 16 18 15 14 12 20 19 5 Posted by enchan on Monday, June 1, 2009, at 22:31. Filed under [...]
"Chalk this up in the category of bizarre Japan." It's not
Rolly | 28 08 2009“Chalk this up in the category of bizarre Japan.”
It’s not Japan that’s bizarre; it’s the life denying Pauline “morality” of the Western world that’s weird.
The various christian religions have had a detrimental effect on social cohesiveness and human development for more than 2,000 years.
A change of attitude is well overdue.