Kanamara Matsuri

WE WENT TO A DOODLE FESTIVAL!

The Kanamara Matsuri or known more commonly by any foreigner you come across, the Penis Festival.

The back ground of this festival goes back to when sex workers used to pray at the shrine for protection from STD’s. But people also pray to the two gods Kanayamahiko and Kanayamahime who are enshrined within it for childbirth and health.

The festival its self takes place in Kawasaki south of Tokyo and is held in early April, the actual date changing every year.

The men dress in drag and sell traditional underwear which is just a piece of cloth that seems to just cover the front and back.

They hold a parade at noon where men in drag carry three doodles through a crowd of people as they dance and sway to the drums banging in the background. First was the black one, then a very large pink one (which was apparently donated by a drag queen club) and last a smaller wood one.

The whole parade its self is over within about 20 minutes as everyone trails behind them and follows them down the street.

The people in the crowd done head wear symbolic of the festival.

Beanies and cardboard visors displaying large, you guessed it, doodles. The large groups of westerners in the crowd loved it, especially the men.

There was also a large variety of food available, all in the doodle shape, hot dogs, meat on a stick, yakatori, you name it. Plus lollipops that came in a variety of colours, flavours and sizes which were a real hit with everyone.

Honestly it was weird.

We didn’t stay very long as it seemed that the little parade was the most exciting bit of the whole festival.

Would I recommend it to someone visiting Japan?

…probably not.

Was funny though.