Kanamara Matsuri: The Festival of the Steel Penis

Figure 1: The Kanamara Fune Mikoshi (Source: No Author, 2017)

The world is populated by several billion people, and it should come to no surprise that there are several similarities and differences among these populations.  Anthropology being the study of what it means to be human aids us in understanding the cultural, biological, linguistic, and historical similarities and differences of humans in order to enable us to form a better understanding of what it means to be human.  While there are similar behaviors among all humans (in that we all walk, talk, breathe, think, and share several cultural elements in common, such as having some sort of family unit) there are some things that are similar but appear incredibly different and strange at the same time.  Today’s blog post will discuss one of those aspects: the Kanamara Matsuri, or the festival of the steel penis.

The Kanamara Matsuri is a Shinto festival celebrated in Kawasaki, Japan, and its origins date back to the Edo Period (1603-1868).  Legends claim that a demon fell in love with a woman, but as itcould not have her it took actions so no man could.  It did this by possessing her vagina and castrating two of her husbands on their wedding night.  The woman, believing she was destined to remain a virgin and never become a mother, tricked the demon by marrying a blacksmith, who forged a steel penis that he used on her, thereby breaking the demon’s teeth and banishing it from her.  

Figure 2: The Elisabeth (Source: No Author, 2017)

The legend is commemorated by a Kanayama Shrine, which is believed to hold deities that promote fertility and sexual health, thereby protecting individuals from sexually transmitted infections.  The shrine has been visited for centuries by travelers going between Tokyo and Kyoto, but the Kanamara Matsuri festival as it is known today began in 1969.  It is celebrated on the first Sunday in April, and people participate in the festival in order to pray for marriage, children, easy deliveries, or protection against venereal diseases. 

The festival itself is composed of several rituals, including the parading of three portable shrines.  The primary shrine is a large steel penis that is called the Kanamara Fune Mikoshi (Figure 1).  It is followed by the shrine referred to as the Elizabeth (Figure 2), which is meant to promote public awareness of sexual health and the existence and acceptance of sexual minorities.  The last shrine, the Kanamara Daimikoshi, is the original shrine created for the festival, which is a large, old log meant to represent an erect penis.  In addition to the parading of the shrines participants are encouraged to eat phallic shaped candies, purchase and light phallic-like candles, as well as wear penis themed clothing and masks.  

Figure 3: The Kanamara Daimikoshi (Source: No Author, 2017)

While this festival is very strange to outsiders it is important to remember to view it through a culturally relativistic lens.  This festival is of great importance to the Japanese as it is part of their culture and history, as well as serves the additional purpose of inspiring hope among those who are in need of it as they face potential infertility or sexually transmitted diseases.  The rituals associated with the Kanamara Matsuri are no different than any other ritual or tradition that you may participate in, be it grabbing a lucky rabbit’s foot or abstaining from certain behavior in order to increase the likelihood of an outcome you hope for.  Of course, one cannot neglect the fun that the Japanese (and other) participants have while participating in the Kanamara Matsuri.  As you can see in the photographs no one seems to be upset by the festivities.

References

Boulton, L. A. (2015). Letter to the Man in Carnivorous Plants. Booth, 7(11), 1.

 

Latin, I. Icons of Psychiatry. JOURNAL OF HUMANISTIC PSYCHIATRY, 5.

 

Nicklas, K. (2015). Sex in Japan: It’s a Straight Man’s World.

No Author. (2017, November 2). Japan's Fertility Festivals: The Hard Facts. Retrieved from All About Japan: https://allabout-japan.com/en/article/4349/