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Penis Procession
Kanamara Matsuri
The short answer
Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り) is a fertility festival at Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki, held on the first Sunday of April with phallic portable shrines. Proceeds support HIV research.
Where
Japan
Category
Festival
When
Annual (first Sunday of April)
Origin
Shrine lore from the Edo period; festival in its present form since the late 1960s to 1970s
What it is
A Shinto festival celebrating fertility and prosperity featuring giant phallus floats
Why it matters
A unique and often humorous festival with roots in local beliefs for fertility and protection
Fun fact
One portable shrine, the pink Elizabeth, was donated by a drag-queen club.
Kungfucius says: Japan's most photographed festival, and the reason your phone gallery needs a password.
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