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Matthew Haswell | profile | all galleries >> Japan 日本 >> Japanese Festivals 日本の祭り >> Hōnen Matsuri in Komaki 小牧の豊年祭 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri 青森ねぶた祭 | Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri 弘前ねぷた祭 | Goshogawara Tachineputa Matsuri 五所川原立佞武多 | Akita Kantō Matsuri 秋田竿燈祭 | Nagoya Matsuri 名古屋祭り | Hirokōji Natsu Matsuri in Nagoya 広小路夏祭り | Arimatsu Shibori Matsuri 有松絞り祭 | Hime-no-miya Matsuri in Inuyama 犬山の姫の宮祭り | Hōnen Matsuri in Komaki 小牧の豊年祭 | Ichinomiya Tanabata Matsuri 一宮七夕祭り | Hikone-jō Matsuri 彦根城祭り | Tottori Shan Shan Matsuri 鳥取しゃんしゃん祭 | Hirado Jangara Matsuri 平戸ジャンガラ祭 | Naha Matsuri 那覇祭り

Hōnen Matsuri in Komaki 小牧の豊年祭

One of Japan's most unusual and popular fertility festivals, occurring annually on the 15th of March.
Shrine attendants before the festivities
Shrine attendants before the festivities		 Wooden ema at Tagata-jinja
Wooden ema at Tagata-jinja		 Row of votive tablets
Row of votive tablets		 Praying at the smaller shrine
Praying at the smaller shrine
Shrine altar with phallus
Shrine altar with phallus		 Minor outer shrine with sacred balls
Minor outer shrine with sacred balls		 Secondary hall at Tagata-jinja
Secondary hall at Tagata-jinja		 Watching the visitors
Watching the visitors
Locals in festive dress
Locals in festive dress		 Koto performance at Tagata-jinja
Koto performance at Tagata-jinja		 Tsukubai at the shrine
Tsukubai at the shrine		 Phallic chocolate-covered bananas
Phallic chocolate-covered bananas
The oncoming procession
The oncoming procession		 Carrying a ceremonial drum
Carrying a ceremonial drum		 The procession of minor phalli
The procession of minor phalli		 Sacred mikoshi
Sacred mikoshi
Transporting the kami
Transporting the kami		 The great phallic palanquin
The great phallic palanquin		 Amulet-laden sakaki tree
Amulet-laden sakaki tree		 Komaki town elders
Komaki town elders
Carrying the sacred objects
Carrying the "sacred objects"		 Locals in traditional garb
Locals in traditional garb		 Bringing the palanquin forward
Bringing the palanquin forward		 Spinning the phallus around
Spinning the phallus around
Time for the public to participate
Time for the public to participate		 Reluctant embrace
Reluctant embrace		 Out on the main street
Out on the main street		 Oni in the procession
Oni in the procession
Yaki-ika vendor
Yaki-ika vendor		 A tunnel of yatai
A tunnel of yatai		 Souvenir phalluses
Souvenir phalluses		 Lewd mementos
Lewd mementos
Ceremony after the procession
Ceremony after the procession		 Gathering for the mochi throwing
Gathering for the mochi throwing		 Grabbing a handful of rice cakes
Grabbing a handful of rice cakes		 Here comes the mochi!
Here comes the mochi!

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