Ross Kemp On Gangsstream

Festivals fertility in Japan today

More than a note, I put here a visual report of some of the festivals and places linked to the fertility cults in Japan I found in my research stays. Unfortunately, today these festivals are increasingly scarce. According to some researchers, this type of celebration, intended to serve as a means of atonement for good harvests, as well as for human fertility and the community, began to disappear, especially in the early 明治 Meiji era (1868-1912) on behalf European criticism against this type of holiday, and open attitudes toward sexuality.

These festivals, which were held largely in rural and urban communities (minor), also functioned as a temporary space for sexual initiation, or joints that could leave the framework of the "allowed" to be also a time of renewal, of excesses, "Carnival."

These first two images are of sites where the fertility cult, in this case phallic still has a presence and important role. The left image corresponds the Taga shrine 多 贺 神社, in the city of Uwajima 宇 和 岛, on the island of Shikoku 四 国. This shrine, dedicated mainly to the male principle, also houses an interesting museum of objects and images relating to sex cults seishin 性 神, and many other more mundane examples of Japanese sexual life. The museum in question, Dekoboko 凸凹 神堂 Shindo, is perhaps the only place of its kind in Japan. On the other hand, the right picture for the pilgrimage circuit of Mount Misen 弥 山 on block of Myajima 宫 岛 (広 島 Hiroshima Prefecture). The site was one of the privileged by the monks of the Shingon school 真言, or Tantric variant of Japanese Buddhism.

The four pictures below correspond to the feminine principle shrines (Jinja Ogata 大 县 神社) and the male principle ( 田 Tagata Jinja县 神社), both on the outskirts of the city of Inuyama 犬 山 (Aichi Prefecture 爱 知), one of the few places where they still celebrate festivals each spring fertility. You see, both have plenty of paraphernalia related to male and female genitals, whether the natural objects whose shape resembles, or made by human hands.

Finally, the last three images correspond to the festival of fertility (male principle) held in the spring of 2004 at the Tagata Shrine in the city of Inuyama.