Japanese Penis Festival shrine distances itself from penis mascot

Every spring, thousands of tourists from Japan and overseas descend on a shrine in Tokyo’s neighbouring prefecture of Kanagawa to celebrate one thing — the penis.

This symbol of fertility is at the centre of the Kanamara Matsuri (“Festival of the Steel Phallus”), which ranks as one of Japan’s “kisai” or “bizarre festivals“, and the story behind it is just as bizarre as the festival itself.

According to legend, a demon once sought revenge on a woman who rejected him by taking up residence inside her vagina and biting down on her husband’s penis so she was unable to procreate. In order to solve the problem, the woman paid a blacksmith to create a steel phallus to break the demon’s teeth, which he did, ultimately restoring her fertility.

You don’t just see giant phalluses at the festival — stallholders join the celebrations by selling all sorts of phallic goods, so you’re bound to see loads of penile paraphernalia in the area.

However, there is one penis that Kanayama Shrine wants to distance itself from, as it’s a mascot that many are mistakenly thinking is an official one related to the shrine.

2023年3月現在、当社かなまら祭の公式マスコットキャラクターは一切存在致しません。ネット上で勝手に公式扱いをされているガチャチンと呼ばれているキグルミは当社では一切公認した事実はございません。
制作者が無許可でパフォーマンスをした挙げ句に脱ぎ捨てて行ったので神社側で廃棄致しました。 https://t.co/BeSPOFYyZq

— 若宮八幡宮????️‍????????️‍⚧️金山神社(俗称かなまら様)公式 (@kanayamajinja) March 18, 2023

ガチャチン草。 pic.twitter.com/hknClF5z1e

— マキナ卿 (@barerutokomaru) March 19, 2023

ガチャチン草。 pic.twitter.com/hknClF5z1e

— マキナ卿 (@barerutokomaru) March 19, 2023