Tuesday, March 25, 2003

The Kanamara Mazuri 

The Kanamara festival is one of the more intresting of the many japanese festivals, I myself have attended a festival 
dedicated to the "kappa" a mythical creature often referred to in cartoons as well as observed Pokemon and Titanic floats at the more traditional of festivals. A Festival in Japanese is called a Mazuri, hence Kanamara Mazuri 
As you can see the festival focuses upon the phallus and typical of such mazuris are phallus shaped sweets, men in oh so very pink drags carrying floats, a phallus sewsaw for prosperity and an assortment of sweets and crackers containing various ideas to enhance ones love life.






Religion and sex have a long history of comfortable coexistence in Japan. This is clearly implied even in the national creation myths in which the kami, or central male and female deities - Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto - are said to have stirred the primordial muck with a "heavenly jeweled spear" before creating the island of Onogoro. The couple then descended from the heavens and married, with Izanami giving birth to Japan's islands as well as its many gods. And, according to such ancient chronicles as the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) that relates the national mythology, the goddess Amenouzume no Mikoto flashed her
sexual organs at the other kami, or divinities, in their cosmic abode. Curious about the resulting commotion, the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu (who
had plunged the world into darkness by cloistering herself in a cave), peered out from her hiding place, caught her reflection in a mirror, and was abducted from herrefuge, an act that restored light to the world.


 I think That´s enough folklore for the day;-) don´t you ? Be sure to click on the pictures to visit the sites I borrowed the pictures from seeing as they have a much better indepth description of the festival as well as loads of photos ;-)
The Title is also a link to a touristy description of the festival. Enjoy :-)


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