In Japan, a celebration of the penis.

[Bonobo]

It's called the Kanamara Matsuri and it's a celebration of the symbol of male fertility, the penis. People flock from all over Japan and indeed the world to visit this fun celebration. Most notable to me is the lighthearted joy and spirit of fun. Truly the lack of moral outrage and expression of fear and revulsion at the sight of an erect penis can only be attributed to the lack of Puritanism that is so inherent in Western culture, particularly America.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/07/japan-penis-festival-kanamara-matsuri_n_5106378.html

It's fun and that's easy to see that just by looking at the below photos.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. It looks bigger this year.

The celebration, I mean.

[Bonobo]

2. Hey! That's just cause it was colder last year! nt

[shaayecanaan]

3. they used to have penis parades all over the country

This one and the other penis parade at Nagoya are all that are left.

I have never been to the vagina festival at ogata but apparently it is a much more dour, buttoned down affair compared with the penis festival. You just don't get the same joie de vivre with a wooden vagina that you get with a giant wooden dick.

[opiate69]

5. My wife's sister is in the Nagoya area (her husband is from there)

Would love to go visit and check this out some time. Just looks like a really fun, laid back time.

[Upton]

4. Festival of the Steel Phallus...

Imagine the outrage if something like this was put on here. It would be equated with porn complete with all sorts of reasons why it shouldn't exist. So many prudes in America.

[bettyellen]

7. they have them in San Francisco several times a year-knock yourself out. We really do not give a

shit, LOL.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. There are pockets of sanity as well as ridiculous hair on fire culture hand-wringing, over sex.

Every time a nipple shows up at the superbowl, or a bathing suit picture turns up on a magazine cover, America sees both sides.

[Bonobo]

9. No, you really don't.

And if you did, I absolutely GUARANTEE you that the actual erect penis is verboten to show and that there are protests from the right AND the "left".

[shaayecanaan]

10. the giant cock made from steel drums

in the Sydney Mardi gras got retired. It was bright pink and had a Thomas the tank engine face on it. It was traumatizing people apparently.

[Bonobo]

11. I am not surprised. Extremists can't handle it. Nt

[MicaelS]

6. But, but, but "The Penis is Evil!" n/t

[Eleanors38]

12. Looks like a rodeo. Broncos buckin' 'round in the stall!