Kanamara Matsuri

The Kanamara Matsuri is the Festival of the Steel Phallus. It's a festival that celebrates fertility. It's for families with children, and for couples who want to have children. It took place today- April 6th, in Kawasaki, Japan at a shrine where prostitutes used to (still do?) go to pray for protection from disease. The proceeds from the current celebration goes to HIV research.

Here's the legend of the steel phallus. A long long time ago, there was a young woman who was possessed by a demon in her...um...nether regions. Two of her unfortunate young husbands were castrated by the demon's sharp teeth on their wedding nights. Then, a crafty old man fashioned a steel phallus which when...um...used, broke the demon's teeth, freeing the young women and saving any men who might want to get up close and personal with her. The steel phallus is now enshrined near the Kawasaki-Daishi station.

The phallus, one of THE symbols of fertility, was everywhere today. The steel one was in a little portable shrine, a giant pink one was sitting grandly pointing up to the heavens, and the phallic image was on pots for plants, knick-knacks, candles, candy, on fabric, hats...

People of all ages were there as well, and there was food for sale, beer to drink and a band of musicians who played flute and taiko drums. It was very crowded, even by Japanese standards. After a long speech, and the beating of a large taiko drum, the shrines were lifted by groups of people in hapi coats, traditional pants and the 2-toed shoes, and carried out into the streets and around the town. They shook them as they carried them, to ward off evil spirits. They chanted loudly as they stepped in time with each other. The shrines were preceded by a man in a mask, a young woman carrying flowers, and a group of lovely young girls in white kimono. The large pink structure was carried by a group of men in drag. They were NOT pretty.

So today was my birthday. I am glad I was born in the spring. It's a great time to celebrate life, birth, renewal, fertility. As we finally left the festival, Bob commented on how it was a heck of a party. The biggest birthday party I've ever had.