NightMoves Online | Art’s World – Check Out This Festival

When I saw this article I knew it had to be an “Art’s World” feature. It takes place in Kawasaki, Japan in April and is an annual event. It is the Kanamara Matsuri, a festival to honor………….. the male penis. Now before you laugh and wonder WTH, be assured this is a very serious, legitimate festival with quite a history behind it. Here is the complete rundown of what the origin and story is of this annual event. The piece was written by Piper Ryan for bolde.com.

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Japan is the weird and wonderful country where it often seems like anything goes in terms of entertainment and pop culture. It’s a whole other world and I love it, especially when I hear about things like Kanamara Matsuri, the annual festival held every spring in honor of men’s nether regions.

It’s all for a good cause. The festival is said to have roots all the way back to the 17th century, during which prostitutes used to pray for protection against STDs at the Kanamara shrine in Kawasaki. These days, the causes are a bit more modern. It’s all about safe sex and also helps to raise money for HIV prevention programs in the country.
It’s been held every year since 1969. Which is sort of beautifully poetic, don’t you think? The legend behind the tale says that a demon once fell in love a woman and hid inside of her vagina, eventually biting off her husband’s junk when they slept together. She felt bad so she asked a blacksmith to make a metal organ to break the demon’s teeth and free her from its curse. It worked, and thus the p*nis became a holy object of sorts.
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There’s a parade and everything! Every spring, women and men dressed as women parade a large pink phallus through the streets of Kawasaki as onlookers celebrate on the sidelines. The object is actually a portable mikoshi, or shrine, so it’s actually a very formal affair. Oh, and by the way, the shrine is called Elizabeth, if you were curious.
You can grab memorabilia shaped like guys’ junk while you’re at it. People hit up penis-shaped popsicles and buy candles shaped like the organ as well. Everyone sings and dances and even pose on top of a giant wooden dong, because why wouldn’t you?
This year’s festival is coming up. The official date is April 5, 2020, meaning you still have time to book flights to Japan and secure a hotel room for the big event. If nothing else, you’ll experience something unlike anything else you’ve ever been part of and have lifelong memories. Isn’t that what travel is all about?