Kanayama Jinja (NSFW)

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Kanayama Jinja is a shrine in Kawasaki, a little south of Tokyo. Though the date of its founding is largely unknown, the practices that made this shrine well known began in the Edo Period and continue to this day. The shrine was originally founded to honor blacksmiths, but it changed over time to protect issues related to business, fertile harvests, and, well, let’s just say “love” for now. Every year there is the Kanamara Matsuri in early April which brings visitors from all over Japan and the world.

For the casual: 10. For the educated: 1.

Before I keep going, I want to stress the NSFW aspect of the following review and the related vocabulary. If you are not of age (18 years+), please don’t read.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.


Well, let’s get real. The Kanamara Matsuri is also known as the Penis Festival. On any given day, visitors are welcome to the visual cornucopia of phalluses adorning, decorating, and inscribing everything from stones and anvils to flags and prayer boards. Visitors to shrines are welcome to buy small wooden placards upon which they write their wishes and dreams. At this shrine, many of the placards have adult imagery with some very very racey content from young anime girls fawning over a great big dick, jacked men jerking off, and so much more on every single placard.

Whatever the shrine is on a normal day, the festival amplifies it exponentially. A parade of enormous phalluses makes its way through the street, vendors sell penis lollipops, and souvenirs adorning the male genitalia are sold on shirts, towels, hats, and so much more. Often visitors feel the need to enhance their own lives with the contents of this festival and will make/wear their own festival-inspired attire. To say the least, the festival is a very popular occasion. Admitance to the shrine itself requires waiting in line for several hours, and this is the line you have to wait in if you want any of the penis sourvenirs from hats and towels to carved raddishes and carrots.

The parade itself I missed so I won’t be able to say much, but it’s like most any shinto parade except that the mikoshi, the portable shrines, are large penises instead of ornate lacquer boxes. Mascot-style vaginas will also march with the parade because firtility is not always about dicks. The parade is usually in the late morning and can be quite the rockous event with large crowds in attendance.

I’ll finish this with some quick thoughts. This event is really a foreigner party with lots and lots of dicks. My favorite part of the festival: the proceeds go to HIV research, so not only can you have a fun time, you can also support a good cause.

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Ushima Jinja

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Ushima Jinja, also referred to as Ushijima Jinja, is a small shrine on the north end of Sumida Park in Asakusa. It was founded in 860 and is noted for surviving the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the fire bombs of WWII.

For the casual: 7. For the educated: 6. 

Ushima Jinja is a really cool shrine with some really cool things. The shrine has a a stone statue of a cow which is a source of good luck by rubbing the cow where you would like to be healed. Sumida Park is a great little break from the city with wonderful winding paths, and the shrine is definitely a great addition to the park. To the south are the headquarters of Asahi Brewing (what I will say is that they chose the wrong architect for that building). To the east is Tokyo Skytree Tower, the tallest tower in the world (not to be confused with tallest building). The only issue is the highway overpass which follows the west side of the park. 

The statue of the healing cow is under the small overhang.

Tokyo Skytree anyone?

 

Asakusa Jinja

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Asakusa Jinja was built in the Kamakura period around the turn of the 13th century by the townsfolk. The shrine is dedicated to the three individuals who founded Sensôji, the temple only about 50 feet to the left of the shrine. Since it was the founding of the temple which essentially started the city of Asakusa, the three individuals,  Hajinomatsuti (the local lord), Hamanari, and Takenari (the two fishermen who found the statue of Kannon) and thereby considered founders of the city. Every spring is the Sanja Matsuri, considered one of the three Great Festivals of Edo (Tokyo), which closes down the streets of Asakusa as people crowd the streets and religious sites.

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 9.

This quaint little shrine is a fun place to visit. Right next to Sensôji, Asakusa Jinja is connected to all of the same sorts of activities that visitors can take advantage of as Sensôji. Craft shops, yukata stores, and so much more are within walking distance of the shrine gates.

Mikoshi, palanquins that transport enshrined gods, make their way to Asakusa Jinja during the Sanja Matsuri.

The Sanja Matsuri is such a big event that they close down even the big streets for mikoshi and visitors to travel.

Shrine Maidens before performing for the Sanja Matsuri.

 

Tomioka Hachimangû

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Founded in 1627, Tomioka Hachimangû is the largest Hachimangû shrine in Edo (Tokyo). Like Kanda Jinja and Hikawa Jinja, Tomioka Hachimangû is one of the great shrines which forms a circle around the Tokyo city center; the old Edo Castle center. Tomioka Hachimangû is also known for having one of the 3 great matsuri (festival) in Tokyo as well as its mikoshi (portable golden shrine used in matsuri) and Grand Champion Sumo Wrestler Stone. 

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 7.

Centered in a really cool area of Koto ward, Tomioka Hachimangû is a beautiful shrine to visit. Mostly I would say go for the restaurants next door, but the shrine is also a really cool place to visit with a great old main hall, well kept grounds, and no tall buildings to block the warm sun.