Kanamara Matsuri: Festival of the Steel Phallus
December 22nd 2009 10:09
Source: http://firmanbudi.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/kesuburan-ternyata-penting-kanamara-matsuri-festival-japan/
The Japanese Fertility Festival is a Shinto ceremony that is held every Spring in various districts of Japan. To foreigners, this is quite the common tourist attraction. Usually the main event involves a procession where a large phallus statue (click for pictures) is carried to the local Shinto Shrine.
It is quite a popular celebration for married couples who which for a safe birth of a child or couples who wish for a harmonious relationship. In the Kawasaki district, it's known to be popular for prostitutes to pray for protection from STDs.
As with many festivals, there would usually be a folklore story attached to it. In this case, it was a case of vagina dentata.
The story goes that a demon fell in love with an innkeeper's daughter. So, to prevent her from establishing any relationship with other men, it chose to reside inside her vagina and use its teeth to castrate any of the woman's lovers. Eventually a blacksmith forged a steel phallus that after insertion, broke the demon's teeth.
In modern society, folklores and festivals such as the Kanamara Matsuri are often utilised to propagate safe sex and to also deter sexual immorality.
For more information, click here.
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