 Most viewed - Tagata Shrine Honen Festival 田縣神社 豊年祭
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The bottom of the woman figurine. Naughty, naughty...3673 views
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Procession maidens pose with wooden penises.3577 views
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Procession maidens pose with wooden penises. Tagata Shrine Honen Festival3180 views
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Sake flask2487 views
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Lollipops2297 views
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The phallus is a symbol for themes of fertility.2185 views
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2003 views
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Nose job1994 viewsI didn't see this among the souvenirs being sold. Wonder where he got it.
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1926 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.1885 views
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1862 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.1670 views
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Senbei crackers1620 views
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1533 views
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Demure-looking woman figurine looks deceiving until you look at the bottom...1531 views
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1510 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.1483 views
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People line up to rub the sacred balls. Penis rock in the foreground.1475 views
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Banner with ukiyoe shunga-style painting of a penis.1330 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.1313 views
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Palanquin maidens.1276 views
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Gozensai ceremony before the start of the penis procession. Tagata Shrine Honen Matsuri1196 views
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Toshi-gami deity of harvests.1192 views
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Gozensai prayer ceremony before the start of the procession.1165 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1105 views
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Pregnant women also attend the festival. As well as mothers with a young baby coming to give thanks.1095 views
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1080 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.1079 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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The usual penis souvenirs on sale.981 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.974 views
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Various entertainment is staged within Tagata Shrine up until the procession starts at 2 pm.960 views
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Breaking the sake barrel941 views
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Another mikoshi with a wooden penis. For a good harvest.932 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931 views
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The short prayer ceremony ends.926 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.921 views
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Lots of people pose with the giant penis. Amid hordes of amateur photographers913 views
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Women spectators touch the penis for good fortune and to become fertile perhaps?905 views
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867 views
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Also see the video at YouTube. Honen-sai Festival, Tagata Shrine Honen Festival.861 views
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Conch shell853 views
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Inside Kumano Shrine. Notice the wooden penises on lower left.845 views
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Sake842 views
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Gozensai ceremony before the start of the procession.824 views
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Festival spectators come by the busload, including people from US military bases such as Yokota.800 views
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Torii gate to Kumano-sha Shrine.778 views
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Ema votive tablet with giant penis portable shrine. 500 yen.775 views
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Mikoshi (portable shrine) bearers gather in front of Kumano Shrine.765 views
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Kumano-sha Shrine, the starting point of the procession or "Penis Parade." 熊野社761 views
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Sarutahiko-no-Okami, the deity who led the descent of Amaterasu (Sun Goddess) from heaven to earth.760 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto who was a local prince married to Tamahime which Tagata Shrine worships.728 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.725 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.719 views
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Sake flows freely.708 views
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Takeinadane-no-Mikoto685 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).674 views
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Maidens who are 36 years old, carry wooden penises for protection during their "unlucky age" (yakudoshi).613 views
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People waiting for the procession along the shrine steps. (Not a good place to watch the procession.)608 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.).607 views
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Men in happi coats which read "Honen Matsuri." Honen literally means "year of abundant harvest."588 views
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People waiting for the procession in front of Kumano Shrine.570 views
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The procession is ready to start from Kumano Shrine.568 views
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Now comes the giant phallus heading for the shrine's main hall.542 views
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Sarutahiko-no-Okami, the deity who led the descent of Amaterasu (Sun Goddess) from heaven to earth.516 views
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The procession goers down the slope in front of Kumano Shrine.507 views
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People waiting for the procession in front of Kumano Shrine.496 views
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Banner of shunga-style penis painting.494 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.488 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.482 views
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Toshi-gami deity of harvests is pulled on a palanquin instead of being carried.461 views
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451 views
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Palanquin for Deity of Harvests451 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.446 views
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Takeinadane-no-Mikoto444 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.433 views
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Installed inside the shrine's Honden main hall, the new giant penis will replace the old one.432 views
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426 views
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Next is a palanquin (not mikoshi) for the Toshi-gami deity of harvests. 御歳神420 views
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By this time, all the men are filled with sake and gregarious.416 views
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Where the penis goes, the crowd follows.415 views
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Giant phallus makes its way to the shrine.413 views
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399 views
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Penetration successful. This is 3:30 pm.390 views
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Sarutahiko-no-Okami389 views
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They spin around the phallus.388 views
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The standard-bearer with a banner of shunga-style penis painting.386 views
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381 views
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379 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto375 views
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Not sure what this is.375 views
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Salt sprinkler heads the procession to purify the way.370 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.367 views
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Drum364 views
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Branches of the sacred sakaki tree.363 views
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Sake cart362 views
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The first half of the route is quite narrow.355 views
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349 views
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345 views
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336 views
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334 views
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The giant penis also arrives at the shrine as it spins around behind the330 views
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Tagata Shrine grounds during the Honen Festival.328 views
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Finally on the main road to Tagata Shrine. Half the road is blocked off for the procession.327 views
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326 views
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Tagata Jinja banners.325 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto318 views
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317 views
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On the main road.316 views
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Tagata Shrine crowded with people waiting for the procession to arrive.313 views
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Entrance to Tagata Shrine crowded with people waiting for the procession to arrive.312 views
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The giant phallus in front Tagata Shrine's Honden main hall.309 views
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Salt sprinkler enters first.303 views
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Tagata Shrine crowded with people waiting for the procession to arrive.296 views
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Portable shrine for Takeinadane-no-Mikoto enters the Honden main hall.296 views
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287 views
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284 views
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