Hanami Party & Upcoming April 5th Festival

The Hanami party went off without a hitch. Thanks to everyone who came by. Feel free to respond to this vid with your hanami video if you like. That way we can aggregate all the videos in one place.

For those who were hoping for the 5th, here is an idea. The Kanamara Matsuri held in Kawasaki-Daishi, Kanagawa. The weather looks wet, but I'll be going reguardless. A number of other youtubers are already going, and we'll meet up at the temple grounds where the festival begins and ends. I plan to be there from about 1:00 - 5:00 afterwards if people are interested lets go to The Hub in Kawasaki for some drinks.

Info On The Festival

What: Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus)
When: April 5 (Sunday)
Where: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Start time: 10:30AMEnd time: 4:30PM Nearest station: Kawasakidaishi (Keikyu line)
Direction: Take the south exit and follow the Gaijin crowd. Kanayama shrine is just a minute walk from the station.

Check URL's for:

* Train times & connectionshttp://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/
* Weather forecasthttp://weather.yahoo.co.jp/weather/jp/14/4610/14131.html
* Kanamara festivalhttp://tomuraya.co.jp/wakamiya-10.htm
* Photoshttp://www.deadhippo.com/photo_albums/kanamara/kanamara.htm

What is Kanamara Matsuri?- The Kanamara Matsuri (?????), also called Festival of the Steel Phallus, or in layman's term "Penis festival", is an annual Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan in spring. The penis forms the central theme of the event that's reflected everywhere; in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decoration, a parade of mikoshis, etc. - The Kanamara Matsuri is centered around a local penis-venerating shrine, once popular among prostitutes who wished to pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

Today, the festival is used to raise money for HIV research. There's also a legend of a demon that hid inside a young girl and castrated two young men on their wedding nights before a blacksmith fashioned an iron phallus that was used to break the demon's teeth, leading to the enshrinement of the item. - Other attractions include locals carving penises out of daikon (radish), children and young women sitting astride penis-shaped seesaws for good luck and fertility blessings, as well as a seated banquet in the compound of Wakamiya Hachimangu shrine where the phallic radishes are auctioned.

All are welcome to take part in the festival's parade and banquet, which includes dancing and karaoke singing. Many revelers, Japanese and foreigners alike, turn out in kimono, Edo period attire or drag for this two-day event of phallic fun which is also attended by many of the area's community leaders and civic dignitaries."

Location of the after matsuri drinks (This depends on rain and peoples interest):

http://pub-hub.com/shop/kawasaki/index.html

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• tokyo
• japan
• kanamara
• matsuri
• hanami
• april
• 5th
• kanagawa
• youtube
• meet
• up
• event
• tokyocooney

[Cocobo1]

Hello Cooney. This is the guy with red hair you met in Shibuya today. The concert went well and will be broadcast on the 12th on NHK. If you watch it and see two gaijins on the 2nd floor with red glowstick then you know who they are.

Sorry about the silly nickname.

[tokyocooney]

It was nice meeting you!

[MysteryFanGirl]

LOL Kevin just at the time when u said Pennis Parade my dad was passing by the room & gave me that weird parental look!!! XD

[cocoakronos778]

i want to shave your beard

[capnrojos]

When/ where is the Hanami party this year? Would love to join everybody :)

[justsomemadman]

you should dedicate the next party to swan

just an idea

[megamanxu]

LOL HENTAI AREA LOL XD

[rodgerswan]

ahhh the penis festival. I remember going to that with you and sam last year! Such a good time. Hope to come down for the 2010 hanami party :)

[StreetEnglishTV]

I'm sorry I missed it! I'm glad it went well!

[maneneko]

I must go to a Hanami party in Japan at least once in my lifetime! I like can shaped and bottle shaped objects too. =)