There’s definitely no mistaking that Kanamara Matsuri is a Japanese fertility festival!

A large, pink phallus bobs its way down the street carried on the shoulders of a dozen men in bandanas, to the sound of their rhythmic chants. The Kanamara Matsuri (AKA Festival of the Steel Phallus, or Iron Penis Festival) is an annual Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan.

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Picture: kanamara matsuri 2007 by atem_y_zeit, on Flickr

Hadaka ni narimashou! (Let’s get naked!)

During Kounomiya Hadaka Matsuri thousands of barely clothed men line the streets of Inazawa City, Aichi, Japan, in the hope of touching a completely shaved and totally naked man (or Shin-otokoa) as he passes through the city streets on his way to the Kounomiya Shrine. Shinto tradition believes that the Shin-otokoa absorbs all bad luck and evil deeds from the men who touch him.

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Picture: Hadaka Matsuri by .A.G.M., on Flickr

‘snow mean feat to build ice sculptures on this scale!

The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan’s most impressive winter events with huge glittering ice sculptures transforming the city of Sapporo into a magical winter wonderland.

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Picture: Sapporo Snow Festival 2009 by paulbanday, on Flickr

Oni ha soto, fuku ha uchi! (demons out, good fortune in!)

Mamemaki (bean scattering) is one of the rituals performed at temples and shrines on Setsubun. People jostle around to attempt to grab these beans to receive good fortune.

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Picture: 2010-02-17 by Hirﾟ, on Flickr

Its a bit of a rough ride for these deities!

The Nada no Kenka Matsuri is the biggest Fighting Festival in Japan. It consists of 3 portable shrines and men in different coloured headbands (colour coded according to age) with bamboo poles clashing and barging against eachother.

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Picture: JP_HY_Kenka Mats_013 by Daniel Beresford, on Flickr

Today we are feeling Autumnal…

The Japanese have a word for admiring the Autumn leaves… Momijigari (Red leaves hunting). We’d love to see your Momijigari pics on our facebook page wherever you are, and we’ll share the best with everyone.

covertintel:

紅 momi crimson
葉 ji leaves
狩り gari hunting trip

Takayama Matsuri is said to be one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan.

In Spring and Autumn the old town of Takayama hosts its two enchanting festivals involving tall, ornately decorated floats and shrines that are pulled through the town.

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Picture: Takayama Matsuri 6 by Setagaya Life, on Flickr

This unusual Japanese festival is half Chinese and double Dutch…

Held as one of the most unusual festivals in Japan, Okunchi (or Kunchi) Festival in Nagasaki dates back to the 17th century, when many  Dutch and Chinese traders regularly anchored their ships there.

More on the Okunchi Matsuri by Somewhere in the world today…

Picture: Okunche festival 2009 by PermanentTraveller on Flickr

Sick of online dating? Try the dating dance!

Kaze no Bon is a beautiful nighttime Japanese festival held every year originally to appease typhoons and ask the gods for a bountiful harvest of rice. Traditionally the dancers are all young and unmarried and so in doing the dance they gain the attention of the gods and get to meet other young unmarried people.

More on Owara Kaze no Bon « September « Somewhere in the world today…)

Picture: Picture by autan, on Flickr

Fiery Chinese symbols appear to float above the night sky around Kyoto

This iconic fire festival, marks the end of Obon, the Japanese festival of the dead

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Picture: 大文字　2008 京都五山の送り火 Gozan no Okuribi by makupo, on Flickr.