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	<title>Blisstree &#187; strange customs</title>
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		<title>A Festival of the Phallus in Japan</title>
		<link>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/a-festival-of-the-phallus-in-japan-363/</link>
		<comments>http://www.blisstree.com/articles/a-festival-of-the-phallus-in-japan-363/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:58:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gabrielle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Diseases & Conditions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fertility blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FYI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news and events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[phallus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[strange customs]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Kawasaki, Japan was the place to be on Sunday &#8211; over 30,000 people (and perhaps just as many phallic objects) were on hand to celebrate the annual fertility festival. According to a Reuters report the Kanamara festival dates back over three hundred years when ladies of the night asked for protection from an epidemic of syphilis. 
Mary King wrote a piece for Metropolis (an English magazine in Japan) elaborating on the spectacle:
Other attractions include locals carving penises out of daikon (radish), children     and young women sitting astride penis-shaped seesaws for good luck and fertility   [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.blisstree.com">Blisstree</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.blisstree.com/articles/a-festival-of-the-phallus-in-japan-363/">A Festival of the Phallus in Japan</a></p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kawasaki, Japan was the place to be on Sunday &#8211; over 30,000 people (and perhaps just as many phallic objects) were on hand to celebrate the annual fertility festival. According to a <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUST32547520080407" target="_blank">Reuters report</a> the Kanamara festival dates <em>back over three hundred years when ladies of the night asked for protection from an epidemic of syphilis. </em></p>
<p><a href="http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyotravel/tokyojapantravel/365/tokyojapantravelinc.htm" target="_blank">Mary King wrote a piece for Metropolis</a> (an English magazine in Japan) elaborating on the spectacle:</p>
<blockquote><p>Other attractions include locals carving penises out of <em>daikon</em> (radish), children     and young women sitting astride penis-shaped seesaws for good luck and fertility     blessings, as well as a seated banquet in the compound of Kanamara Jinja (aka Wakamiya     Hachiman-gu shrine) where the phallic radishes are auctioned. All are welcome to take part     in the festival&#8217;s parade and banquet, which includes dancing and karaoke singing. Many     revelers, Japanese and foreigners alike, turn out in kimono, Edo period attire or drag for     this two-day event of phallic fun which is also attended by many of the area&#8217;s community     leaders and civic dignitaries.</p></blockquote>
<p>This is the kind of event that YouTube was made for, and of course, there are numerous tourist videos of previous years&#8217; festivities. Here is one of the shorter ones (videos, that is).</p>
<p>Warning: there is a very large, fake, phallus below. If you think you may be bothered by that, you might want to stop reading here.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/P45auYir6Zg&amp;hl=en" style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab visible ontop"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P45auYir6Zg&amp;hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P45auYir6Zg&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object></p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.blisstree.com">Blisstree</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.blisstree.com/articles/a-festival-of-the-phallus-in-japan-363/">A Festival of the Phallus in Japan</a></p>
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