 Most viewed - Komaki 小牧市 |
The bottom of the woman figurine. Naughty, naughty...3759 views
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Procession maidens pose with wooden penises.3674 views
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Procession maidens pose with wooden penises. Tagata Shrine Honen Festival3349 views
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Sake flask2557 views
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Lollipops2375 views
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The phallus is a symbol for themes of fertility.2254 views
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Nose job2092 viewsI didn't see this among the souvenirs being sold. Wonder where he got it.
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2077 views
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1999 views
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The second portable shrine and main attraction. It is 2.5 meters (13 feet) long, 60 cm diameter, and weighs about 300 kg. It takes 10 days to carve it from a cypress log.1968 views
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1936 views
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Procession maidens pose with the giant penis. The giant phallus was then partially hidden by the portable shrine as it is today. But this made the phallus become larger to 2.5 meters, as if to compensate for this partial shielding.1792 views
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Senbei crackers1686 views
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1620 views
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Demure-looking woman figurine looks deceiving until you look at the bottom...1600 views
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1579 views
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Maiden poses with the giant penis. In the past, the phallus was attached to a straw effigy of a warrior, but it was deemed too raunchy and discontinued.1570 views
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People line up to rub the sacred balls. Penis rock in the foreground.1568 views
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Banner with ukiyoe shunga-style painting of a penis.1434 views
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It might look light brown here, but it looks more pinkish. It is carved in winter from a hinoki cypress tree by a master artisan wearing ceremonially-purified clothing and using traditional tools.1390 views
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Palanquin maidens.1351 views
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Gozensai ceremony before the start of the penis procession. Tagata Shrine Honen Matsuri1302 views
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Toshi-gami deity of harvests.1262 views
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Gozensai prayer ceremony before the start of the procession.1230 views
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Sacred Balls. Put in money and rub the left and right ball for family safety, business prosperity, safe childbirth, etc. 珍宝窟1194 views
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Way to Tagata Shrine from Tagata Jinja-mae Station. Shrine famous for numerous phallic objects used as offerings to the gods. The 1500-year-old shrine worships a deity called Tamahime-no-Mikoto who was a daughter of a powerful local lord from the 5th c.1189 viewsThe Honen-sai or Honen (Hounen) Matsuri is held by Tagata Jinja on March 15 to pray for an abundant harvest. "Honen" literally means "Year of abudant harvest." Since a giant penis is used as an offering, it is popularly called the "penis festival."
The shrine is near Tagata Jinja-mae Station on the Meitetsu Railways' Komaki Line. From Shin-Nagoya Station or Shin-Gifu Station, go to Inuyama Station and transfer to the Komaki Line.
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1158 views
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Pregnant women also attend the festival. As well as mothers with a young baby coming to give thanks.1158 views
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Gozensai ceremony before the start of the procession.1142 views
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The usual penis souvenirs on sale.1047 views
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Many foreigners also join in the fun. The giant phallus was originally about 1 meter long and paraded by itself by 4-5 people with no portable shrine shelter.1042 views
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Various entertainment is staged within Tagata Shrine up until the procession starts at 2 pm.1024 views
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Breaking the sake barrel1016 views
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Another mikoshi with a wooden penis. For a good harvest.1009 views
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The giant phallus is called "O-owasegata." It is an offering, and not a deity nor object of worship. Tagata Shrine Honen Festival. A total of 60 men take turns carrying the giant phallus portable shrine. 大男茎形989 views
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Lots of people pose with the giant penis. Amid hordes of amateur photographers984 views
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The short prayer ceremony ends.983 views
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Front view. A new giant, wooden phallus is carved every year since newly-made objects are considered to have more purity and vitality.982 views
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Women spectators touch the penis for good fortune and to become fertile perhaps?964 views
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Also see the video at YouTube. Honen-sai Festival, Tagata Shrine Honen Festival.954 views
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929 views
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Conch shell923 views
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Inside Kumano Shrine. Notice the wooden penises on lower left.917 views
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Sake906 views
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Festival spectators come by the busload, including people from US military bases such as Yokota.895 views
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Torii gate to Kumano-sha Shrine.844 views
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Ema votive tablet with giant penis portable shrine. 500 yen.830 views
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Mikoshi (portable shrine) bearers gather in front of Kumano Shrine.829 views
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Sarutahiko-no-Okami, the deity who led the descent of Amaterasu (Sun Goddess) from heaven to earth.829 views
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Kumano-sha Shrine, the starting point of the procession or "Penis Parade." 熊野社824 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto who was a local prince married to Tamahime which Tagata Shrine worships.796 views
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The second mikoshi features the giant penis carried by 12 men at a time, all of whom are age 42, considered to be an unlucky age (yakudoshi) for men. They seek protection by carrying the phallus.781 views
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Schedule of events and procession route. In odd-numbered years (like 2007), the procession starts from nearby Kumano-sha Shrine. In even-numbered years, the procession starts from Shinmei-sha Shrine.779 views
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Sake flows freely.772 views
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Takeinadane-no-Mikoto754 views
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Entering Tagata Shrine, dedicated to Tamahime-no-Mikoto (daughter of a local feudal lord) and Mitoshi-no-Kami (deity of harvests).736 views
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People waiting for the procession along the shrine steps. (Not a good place to watch the procession.)677 views
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Maidens who are 36 years old, carry wooden penises for protection during their "unlucky age" (yakudoshi).673 views
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The giant phallus by itself weighs about 280 kg (620 lbs.). The total weight of both the phallus and portable shrine housing is 400 kg (885 lbs.).664 views
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Men in happi coats which read "Honen Matsuri." Honen literally means "year of abundant harvest."644 views
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This is what you see inside Oku-no-miya Shrine. A giant wooden phallus offering.628 views
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The procession is ready to start from Kumano Shrine.625 views
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People waiting for the procession in front of Kumano Shrine.625 views
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Now comes the giant phallus heading for the shrine's main hall.593 views
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The procession goers down the slope in front of Kumano Shrine.569 views
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Sarutahiko-no-Okami, the deity who led the descent of Amaterasu (Sun Goddess) from heaven to earth.569 views
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People waiting for the procession in front of Kumano Shrine.552 views
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Banner of shunga-style penis painting.546 views
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A large crowd tries to catch numerous mochi which are hard and can be dangerous if it hits you on the face or head. To avoid injury, do not look down and don't try to pick up mochi on the ground. You can get trampled, and most injuries occur this way.543 views
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The first mikoshi is for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto coming to visit his wife of Tamahime at Tagata Shrine, where Tamahime's residence was located.537 views
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Toshi-gami deity of harvests is pulled on a palanquin instead of being carried.518 views
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Palanquin for Deity of Harvests508 views
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505 views
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Takeinadane-no-Mikoto504 views
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At 4 pm, the festival's final event is the mochi-nage or rice-cake tossing. First, they warn eveyone that the shrine won't be liable for any injury you might incur from this. And the elderly and children should avoid this mochi-nage.497 views
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Installed inside the shrine's Honden main hall, the new giant penis will replace the old one.484 views
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Carried by men singing kiyari laborers' songs, the smaller wooden phallus also goes to enter the shrine's main hall.483 views
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480 views
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Next is a palanquin (not mikoshi) for the Toshi-gami deity of harvests. 御歳神476 views
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Apparently it can become erect too. (Compare with previous photo.)471 views
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Where the penis goes, the crowd follows.466 views
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Giant phallus makes its way to the shrine.465 views
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By this time, all the men are filled with sake and gregarious.464 views
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452 views
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Penetration successful. This is 3:30 pm.441 views
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Sarutahiko-no-Okami439 views
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The standard-bearer with a banner of shunga-style penis painting.437 views
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They spin around the phallus.436 views
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435 views
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433 views
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Not sure what this is.424 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto423 views
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Salt sprinkler heads the procession to purify the way.421 views
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Drum421 views
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Branches of the sacred sakaki tree.417 views
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Sake cart416 views
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The route is short, but it's a slow procession with many short breaks. The procession lasts 1.5 hours.416 views
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402 views
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The first half of the route is quite narrow.402 views
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398 views
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394 views
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The giant penis also arrives at the shrine as it spins around behind the387 views
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383 views
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Tagata Shrine grounds during the Honen Festival.383 views
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382 views
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Finally on the main road to Tagata Shrine. Half the road is blocked off for the procession.376 views
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Tagata Jinja banners.375 views
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371 views
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On the main road.370 views
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Votice tablets written with people's wishes for love, sex, and babies.369 views
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Entrance to Tagata Shrine crowded with people waiting for the procession to arrive.364 views
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The giant phallus in front Tagata Shrine's Honden main hall.364 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto362 views
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Tagata Shrine crowded with people waiting for the procession to arrive.357 views
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Salt sprinkler enters first.352 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto enters the Honden main hall.345 views
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Tagata Shrine crowded with people waiting for the procession to arrive.344 views
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336 views
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334 views
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Oku-no-miya Shrine also has many other phallic objects presented as offerings. There even one which you can touch...320 views
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Best-looking phallic rock.320 views
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Phallic fence posts.305 views
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Tagata Shrine Honden main hall. Komaki, Aichi Pref.276 views
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Phallic souvenirs.275 views
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Tagata Jinja-mae Station on Meitetsu Railways' Komaki Line, a few stops from Inuyama Station. The shrine is a 10 min. walk from the train station.261 views
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Note that the phallus is not the object of worship. It is an offering to the god.259 views
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Worst-looking phallic rock. That's stretching the imagination a little too much.259 views
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Phallic objects258 views
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Female and male rocks.248 views
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247 views
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Stones and Oku-no-miya Shrine243 views
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Put in money and it will make a "chin" sound. (From the word "chinpo" for penis.)237 views
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Phallic rock. There are several phallic rocks donated by various people. Apparently they are either natural or carved.226 views
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Oku-no-miya Shrine. Look carefully and you can see what's inside. 奥宮225 views
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Votice tablet with illustration of the Honen Festival.218 views
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Place to rub the sacred balls. 珍宝窟217 views
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215 views
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Rub the two balls.206 views
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203 views
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196 views
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Tagata Shrine torii and entrance 田縣神社193 views
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Tagata Shrine Honden main hall which worships shrine worships a deity called Tamahime-no-Mikoto who was a daughter of a powerful local lord from the 5th century.189 views
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185 views
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183 views
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176 views
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Another pair of trees bonded together.175 views
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And another...172 views
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Torii to Oku-no-miya Shrine, next to the Honden main hall.169 views
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Behind the rocks are two trees bonded together.165 views
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Mikuji paper fortunes for love and romance, marriage, and childbirth.158 views
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Tagata Shrine stone marker155 views
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