Kanamara Matsuri is the festival of the Steel Phallus, an annual Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan; this year's festivities happened last week. According to Wikipedia: "The penis forms the central theme of the event that's reflected everywhere; in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decoration, a parade of mikoshis, etc. ...The Kanamara Matsuri is centered around a local penis-venerating shrine, once popular among prostitutes who wished to pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases." Just because you can't get to Japan to celebrate the penis festival doesn't mean you can't start your own in the comfort of your own home ... or why not in the streets of your own home town? Isn't that what freedom of religion is all about? A. Tolesco

· "Thousands gather for fertility festival" (mainichi-msn.co.jp)
· "Japan's Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus)" (gallery @ cellar.org)
· Kanamara Matsuri (Wikipedia entry + photos)

Previously: Eropon Bukkake Forever!, My Little Phallus, Pink Chirashi, Elogtric