Kanamara Penis Festival
Last Updated on March 17, 2025
Event Overview
The Kanamara Matsuri, or “Festival of the Steel Phallus,” is an annual event held in April at the Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki, Japan.
The festival focuses on themes of fertility and sexual health, and it features symbolic representations of male and female genitalia.
The event attracts a diverse audience, including a significant international presence.
The festival’s central motif, the phallus, is incorporated into various aspects of the celebration, including artistic displays, confectionery, carved produce, decorative elements, and a procession of portable shrines, known as mikoshi.
The mikoshi procession, featuring phallic-shaped shrines, forms a central part of the festival’s activities.
The festival is hugely popular and sees significant crowds within the shrine grounds and nearby area.
The festival also features numerous food stalls and vendors selling themed merchandise, including clothing, decorative items and novelty candies shaped like reproductive organs.
Historically, the Kanamara Matsuri held significance for sex workers seeking protection from sexually transmitted infections. The parade route extends from Kanayama Shrine along Daishisando to Kawasaki Daishi temple.
Following the parade’s return to Kanayama Shrine, attendees have the option to visit Kawasaki-Daishi temple, located a short distance away or further explore the city of Kawasaki.
Venue Information
Location: 2-13-16 Kawasaki Daishi Eki-mae, Yokohama-Shi
Dates: Sunday April 6th 2025
Opening Times: Approx. 11am to 5pm
Entry Cost
Free.
Event Details
| calendar_month DATE | Apr 06 2025 |
|---|---|
| schedule TIME | 11:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| payments Cost | FREE |
| info Website | Official Website |
| location_on Location | Kanayama Shrine |
|---|---|
| map Area | Kanagawa Kawasaki |
| category CATEGORY | Festival |
Getting There
Kawasaki Daishi is conveniently accessed via Kawasaki-Daishi Station, which is located on the Keikyu Daishi Line.
This line branches off from the Keikyu Main Line at Keikyu Kawasaki Station, making the temple easily reachable from major transportation hubs.
The train journey from Keikyu Kawasaki Station to Kawasaki-Daishi Station is a short, approximately five-minute ride, followed by a brief walk to the temple grounds.