Dear Diary,
At Kanamara Matsuri, size really does matter. Just ask all the ladies walking around with penis shaped lollipops in one hand and phallic daikon radishes in the other. Or take a look at the giant phallic-shaped mikoshi (portable shrines) that are the celebrities of the penis parade. Carried by many men in drag, the pink, wooden, and steel erect statues are paraded through the streets of Kawasaki to massive crowds of locals and tourists alike.
Now, before you start clutching your pearls, let me explain. Kanamara Matsuri, known as the Festival of the Steel Phallus, originates from the Kanayama Shrine, initially frequented by sex workers to pray for fertility, safe childbirth, and protection against STDs. The shrine became a place for couples to visit and pray for those same things plus a happy marriage. Kanamara Matsuri is also known as a festival to fight against HIV and bring awareness LGBTQ+ communities in Japan. Each spring, crowds gather to celebrate with food, activities, and of course, the famous mikoshi parade.
Okay, now start clutching your pearls again because another origin of the festival is a legend of a woman possessed by a pussy demon that literally lived inside of her and bit off not one, but two DIFFERENT husband’s dicks. So this woman did what any smart woman would do - have a blacksmith fashion her a large steel penis. This time when the demon tried to bite the steel penis, its teeth were shattered and the demon fled. But don't worry, legend has it the first husband's penis did grow back.
So, aside from the phallic festivities and the outlandish origin stories, my interest piqued at the thought of tasty treats. Everyone walks around with penis-pops in their mouths, but there are other good things to snack on like noodles, pancakes, fried octopus balls, chocolate covered bananas and amazake - a sweet, and milky, sake drink. So, even if the parade got to be a little too much shock value, there's always a snack to keep grounded.
And ladies, watch out for those demons…
Xoxo,
Maria