Kanamara “Penis” Festival 2025

You read the title right. The Kanamara Matsuri (aka the Penis Festival) at Kanayama Shrine features phallic imagery in everything from the decorations to the snacks, but the main show is a parade of numerous giant phalli, including a big pink one.

Profits raised from the event go to HIV research.

If you’re interested in other fertility festivals in Japan (yes, there’s more than one), then get stuck into this list of “penis festivals” from around the country.

I love this, but why is the penis festival a thing?

Here’s some backstory. Kanayama Shrine, where the festival is held, was once popular with sex workers from the local tea houses. They often prayed here to the gods of mining and blacksmiths Kanayamahiko and Kanayamahime — they sound totally unrelated to phalli, right? Wrong.

Legend has it that the deities healed the Shinto goddess Izanami after she gave birth to a fire god. Ouch. Because of this myth, people prayed to these gods for safe childbirth and protection from sexually transmitted diseases.

There’s also another colorful story. This tells of a demon who fell in love with a woman and hid inside her vagina, biting off her newlywed husband’s penis — twice. She then sought help from a blacksmith who made her a metal phallus. It broke the demon’s teeth and sent him off for good. They then later enshrined it in Kanayama Shrine as a sort of commemoration.

Schedule

The schedule for 2025 is yet to be confirmed, but the parade always takes place on the first Sunday of April (April 6 in 2025). Watch this space for more. See below for last year’s schedule for an idea of what times to expect.

Saturday

• The shaving of daikon radish into phallic shapes will begin from 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
• There will be a Yoimiya Festival (a kind of pre-festival festival) from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday — the big day!

• A small ceremonial burning will take place from 10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
• Several ceremonies will take place around the mikoshi from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• The moment you’ve all been waiting for, the penis parade will commence from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will feature four types of phallic statues. The procession will set off from near Kanayama Shrine and head to Daishi Park, arriving around 12:45 p.m. and setting off back the way it came at 1:15 p.m. The procession will finish at Kanayama Shrine at 2:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday the following week

• The weekend following the festival will have stalls, an exhibition, and photo spots from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., where you can take photos of the static mikoshi.

How to get there

The festival is held around Kanayama Shrine, Daishi Park, and Kawasaki Daishi Temple. Kanayama Shrine, where the festival starts, is around a 5-minute walk from Kawasaki-Daishi Station. It’s about a 30-minute journey from Shinagawa Station and a 45-minute journey from Tokyo Station. You’ll first need to get the train to Kawasaki Station and change to the Keikyū Daishi Line.

The mid-way point of the festival takes place at Daishi Park, which is around a 10-minute walk from Higashimonzen, the station after Kawasaki-Daishi.

FAQs and tips

We’re sure you’ve got a lot of questions about this one.

Why is the Kanamara Festival celebrated?

The main meaning behind the Kanamara Festival is that Kanayama Shrine has a long history connected to the local sex workers. It is known as a spot to pray for healing and protection from STDs. The name of the festival is also a play on the Japanese slang word mara, which means male genitals. So instead of the shrine’s name, Kanayama, the festival is called Kanamara. For legends and myths, see our above section on the history behind the festival.

How many phallic statues are there?

There are usually four kinds of statues: a small one carried on a single piece of timber, a medium-sized wooden one, one made of black iron, and a large pink one called the “Elizabeth Mikoshi,” which is donated by a drag queen club called Elizabeth each year.

What can I buy and eat at the Kanamara Festival?

Treats abound at this festival. Chomp down on phallus-shaped bananas and candy or set your sights on an amusing t-shirt or two. There are also interesting handmade crafts and jewelry, all in theme.

How can I avoid the crowds?

The festival does get busy. If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the main shrine (but still want to experience the merch and sweet stalls), then we recommend getting off at the station after Kawasaki-Daishi Station, Higashimonzen Station, and walking down to Daishi Park. The park has plenty of stalls, and this is where the parade will turn around before heading back to the main Kanayama Shrine.