Every first Sunday in April, residents of Kawasaki, Japan, celebrate all things penis with their Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) Parade. While the centerpiece of the fertility parade is a giant pink penis, some marchers bring their own large replica penises, and female festival-goers enjoy various penis-shaped candies. Check out photos of the phallic fun below.Kanamara Festival 2009
Participants dressed in women's clothes carry a portable shrine with a large pink phallus during the Kanamara Festival, or the Utamaro Festival, near Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine on April 5, 2009, in Kawasaki, Japan.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
Participants dressed in women's clothes carry a portable shrine with a large pink phallus during the Kanamara Festival, or the Utamaro Festival, near Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine on April 5, 2009, in Kawasaki, Japan.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
The annual fertility festival, held traditionally in the cherry-blossom season since the Edo era (1603-1868), is said to encourage fertility and bring harmony to married couples. In recent times the festival has raised awareness of AIDS prevention.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
Participants and visitors carve Japanese radishes into the shape of a phallus.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
Participants display Japanese radishes recently carved into the shape of phallus.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
A visitor rides on a wooden phallic figure.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
A visitor eats a phallus-shaped candy.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
A man sells phallus-shaped candles.
Kiyoshi Ota, Getty Images
Comments:
Add a comment
Tuesday 07 April
By momo
I love Japan
Reply
Sunday 12 April
By beth
I agree. I love Japan just for the simple fact that they can pull this shit off and get away with it.!!!
Sunday 12 April
By canudigit
Only in Japan...
Reply
Sunday 26 April
By Chris
Actually, there are other contries including India, Thailand, and the general area who worship the male genitalia. It's a cultural celebration which should be respected, as many customs we have and practice may seem just as odd to other countries. AOL would think of putting it as a news story; and of course Americans would eat it up--no pun intended. It's called anthropolgy.
Sunday 12 April
By chubbypickle
Whooooa, the penis in the pic has been circumcised. Strange considering most gents in Japan are uncut.
Reply
Monday 13 April
By cathy
Japs only wish their ding dings were that BIG!
Reply
Saturday 18 April
By rose young stewart
Ding Ding? Is that what you call a man's penis? what a goofy word for a body part. why dont you just call it as it is? ding ding? heheheheh you are probably under 15 yrs old. Ding ding? HAHAHAHA
Friday 15 May
By Karen
And that's why America has a multi-million dollar penis enlargement industry?
Saturday 23 May
By Sonja
Japs only wish their ding dings were that BIG!
------------------------------------------------ > lol the Japanese males were never "little" men... I lived in Japan for 3 yrs... The thing is the Japanese are not wrapped in the so-called sex sin thing... at local bath houses everyone is naked, man, woman and child... children are not raped by relatives or even strangers.. one rape was reported in the news.. and was committed by a US SOLDIER... Girls when married are virgins, Japanese kids are not hidden from normal body parts.. and not considered "evil" for looking them... baby boys pictures taken when they can sit up... are a naked little baby with his penis showing.. It seems those buddhaists, shinto's and other non-Christian religions in Japan have more morals than so call Christians..
Tuesday 14 April
By Pete
that was good hit? in Japan, I love it to show around in U.S.A. that good be really funny walking around in Downtown area, delivery any product?
Reply
Saturday 18 April
By rose young-stewart
Even though circumcision is becoming popular in Japan, most men still are not circumcised there as in America and as the Muslims do when the Infant is still very young. Japanese men prefer to wait till they are older to have it done because in some cases the foreskin will automatically retract on its own since all Japanese men keep their foreskin retracted as is the custom taught to them when very young. No way on Earth would a Japanese man enter a public bath with his foreskin NOT retracted. He'd be thrown out right away. It is considered dirty to them, to keep the foreskin down, covering the glans knowing what sort of bacteria grows under there.
Reply
Saturday 25 April
By Allison
We need something like this here in the States!! I say we start in San Francisco and work our way east!!
Reply
Sunday 26 April
By janet
lol thts crazii tht should happen in the u.s
Reply
Sunday 26 April
By dave
You gotta love the Nips
Reply
Wednesday 29 April
By Michele
Must be 'wishful thinking'
Reply
Wednesday 29 April
By Thor
Hey if Hussein Obama put a condom over his nappy head he could go as the first black Japanese PENIS!
Reply
Thursday 30 April
By Ryder
why do you people always have to drag obama into something that has nothing to do with him? Go get a life.
Sunday 18 October
By Mil
Yeah seriously how random was that? Wtf did Obama have to do with a penis party in Japan anyway? Why don't you go hate on the president in a story that actually pertains to him.
Thursday 30 April
By kim
I will never look at Daikon radishes the same !!
Reply
Saturday 02 May
By Kayla
Now thats not normal. Where did they come up with this idea!? Are they going to make ones for female genitalia areas too? hhmmm... ahaha i wouldnt join though, im straight, just out of curiousity.
Reply