On April 6 people traveled to Kawasaki, Japan, to celebrate “Kanamara Matsuri” or the “Festival of the Steel Phallus.” Because the penis could use even more worship. Cigars on ice. Cigars on ice. When you listen to “Drunk In Love” again and you wonder why Beyoncé is spewing random phrases feel free to urban dictionary them and get really grossed out. Drinking watermelon does not mean what you think it means. Anyway.
BBC suggests that the festival has roots in a 17 century practice where prostitutes prayed at Kawasaki’s Kanamara shrine so that they wouldn’t get STDs. Naturally you would worship the thing that gives you diseases … However, today the festival is actually a positive thing! It’s about promoting awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and raises funds for HIV/AIDS prevention. It’s actually pretty cool and pretty funny to see tons of people of all ages sucking on penis pops and riding giant wooden dongs.
“The pinnacle of the festival involves carrying an altar in the shape of a penis to the shrine, followed by a parade in which both men and women dress in women’s kimonos and carry wooden penises,” this is like every bachelorette party I’ve ever been to.
[Via. Huffington Post/BBC]
