Kanamara Matsuri, or the Festival of the Steel Phallus, is celebrated on the first Sunday of April each year at the Kanayama Shrine in Japan's province of Kawasaki. On this day, the key "figure" can be seen everywhere, with even food, such as candies, lollipops and vegetables being phallus-shaped. It seems as though it doesn't bother anybody, as many people can be seen eating them.
The Kanamara Matsuri aka The Penis Festival https://t.co/T32XnZsKnp via @YouTube
— Sheree (@tmpsshr) 2 апреля 2018 г.
#kanamaramatsuri 🙄 pic.twitter.com/dJnPg0FyuF
— Rose 짱me (@ShibbyMintay) 1 апреля 2018 г.
Aujourd’hui au Japon c’est Kanamara Matsuri. Bonne fête au tich de fer! #kanamaramatsuri #かなまら祭り pic.twitter.com/cZCP5ZywDt
— corentin (@kotje) 1 апреля 2018 г.
We couldn't leave without a few of these totally innocent lollies #kanamaramatsuri pic.twitter.com/6z7cKwY1lO
— Breaker Japan (@BreakerJapan) 1 апреля 2018 г.
「まんまらまん」かなまら祭・かわさき桜緑祭ブースへのご来場ありがとうございました。小さなブースにも関わらず、たくさんのお客様にお越しいただきました。笑顔の接客を心がけていましたが、感動のあまり裏で涙を流しておりました。#まんまらまん#かなまら祭#かわさき桜縁祭#kanamaramatsuri pic.twitter.com/OzoGzBDKP5
— まんまらまん@4月1日かなまら祭-かわさき桜緑祭(川崎大師公園) (@manmaraman) 2 апреля 2018 г.
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But it doesn't stop there — several giant penises were also marching through the streets. Some people even went so far as to wear phallus-themed costumes.
And heeeere's #mikoshi number two! #kanamaramatsuri pic.twitter.com/BqQvos8lLI
— Breaker Japan (@BreakerJapan) 1 апреля 2018 г.
Ah, the star of the show! #kanamaramatsuri pic.twitter.com/llzV0Ohm2H
— Breaker Japan (@BreakerJapan) 1 апреля 2018 г.
https://t.co/7fcFAWNm5o#KANAMARAMATSURI 2018There is no stronger celebration of the Japanese joystick than Kawasaki’s Kanamara Matsuri.Despite smirks and giggles from foreigners it’s an ancient tradition & celebration of fertility, long marriages and healthy births, pic.twitter.com/MX2oPdnVC0
— Ashok N Pulliyerengi (@dr_ashok0124) 2 апреля 2018 г.
🎬 On promotional tour in Japan right now. Japan is one day ahead of USA so it's Monday at 5am now. Just waking up. Yesterday was Kanamara Matsuri in Kawasaki City. pic.twitter.com/ppfbDtr9sQ
— 🇺🇸🇯🇵 Kiteh Kawasaki℠ https://gab.ai/nsfw_Kiteh (@nsfw_Kiteh) 1 апреля 2018 г.
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The strange festival actually has religious roots. It is believed that a sharp-toothed demon once "inhabited" the vagina of a young woman whom he loved, and would use his teeth to castrate any "intruders." The desperate woman asked a resourceful blacksmith for help and he forged a steel phallus for her. The demon received a huge bill from his dentist and the steel phallus was installed in the Kanayama Shrine.
Japanese Folklore: Kanamara Matsuri
— Japan Italy Bridge (@japanitalybridg) 21 марта 2018 г.
✿ Read it on today's blog ✿
Posted with Love by Sara#JapanItalyBridge #KanamaraMatsuri https://t.co/Ah3yHEcUA6 pic.twitter.com/L9XVF9niuk
People would visit the shrine to ask for protection against sexually transmitted diseases, as well as for quick and easy child birth, harmony in couple's relationship and prosperity. Now it is mostly a tourist attraction and location where the festival is organized.
