The phalluses are in full bloom at this year’s Kanamara Festival【Photos】

18:17 cherishe 0 Comments

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Cloudy skies can’t keep these symbols of fertility down! Note: This post may not be safe for your workplace.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

April has arrived, bring with it sakura blossoms and Japan’s most, um, exciting festival: The Kanamara Phallus Festival!

The festival, held in Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture, drew huge crowds this year just as it did last year. And while the festival was again a sea of penises, there was one big change as noted by our Japanese writer who was on site.

▼ Can guess what it is from this photo?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The pink phallus pictured above is popularly known as Elizabeth, a name that seems oddly fitting the more we think about it. But while Elizabeth is still as grand and stately as in 2015, there was one big difference this year: It wasn’t carried through the streets but rolled on wheels!

▼ Though we must note that the illustration on the rolling base stuck with the theme.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

▼ You never really get used to seeing a giant pink penis rolling down the street.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

If you’ve seen our previous coverage of this Shinto festival, you likely recognize this impressive pink monument. If so, you’ll probably remember that in previous years, Elizabeth was carried like a typical portable shrine. We’re not sure why things were changed for 2016, but it does look like it makes the parade quite a bit easier for the organizers. After all, that looks like quite a heavy load to carry around all day…

▼ That’s what she said!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Of course, Elizabeth wasn’t alone! The giant pink phallus had two companions: The Kanamara Boat Mikoshi, which is tall, black, and shiny, and the Kanamara Big Mikoshi, which is shorter and looks more like a piece of a tree trunk.

▼ The Kanamara Boat Mikoshi

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

▼ “I see your Schwartz is as big as mine.”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

▼ The Kanamara Big Mikoshi

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

▼ “I am Groot.”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Naturally, no festival is complete without accompanying street stands selling food, games, and toys, and Kanamara Festival is no different. Well, with one exception: everything you can buy is penis shaped!

▼ But what else would you expect, right?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

As you can guess from the name, the Kanamara Festival is dedicated to Kanamara, who was originally a deity of blacksmithing but is now prayed to as a god of fertility, childbirth, and protection from STDs. It also seems to be a major tourism draw, as the crowds tend to be full of people of all nationalities, because, come on, who doesn’t love a giant, pink penis?

If you’re sad you missed the festival this year, start making plans for next year! We have a feeling this event will last for a good, long time.

And if phallus festivals are bit too much for you, you may want to check out this Gundam portable shrine! Oddly enough, it’s also enormous and pink.