Celebrating important events with fun, colossal terror!
For those who have never seen a Japanese festival in action before, it’s quite the experience. Along with music and dancing filling the streets, there’re usually people carrying giant “portable shrines” featuring everything from samurai and dragons to Gundam mecha to… well, phalluses.
But when it comes to family-friendly portable shrines, it doesn’t get much better than Tokyo University of the Arts’ recent creations. To celebrate the blooming of Ueno Park’s cherry blossoms, they brought out these unbelievable monsters:
▼ “Tokyo University of the Art’s portable shrines were displayed at Ueno Park.
That giant salamander is so cool.”
上野公園の広場に東京芸大の藝祭神輿が野外展示されていた。
— くろだまさし (@kurodamasa) March 26, 2016
巨大オオサンショウウオ神輿いいなぁいいなぁ pic.twitter.com/6mwxgnmRk6
▼ Good luck getting rid of this salamander from your doorstep!
▼ “Hello tasty snack!”
▼ A tiny human sitting on top of it, to show scale.
▼ Hey thanks for carrying that shrine on your back, giant white boar!
▼ Er, I mean… yes, I can carry it instead. If you insist….
▼ Seems like the boar has a soft spot for those who bring smaller,
golden boars to appease him.
▼ Sometimes you just gotta grab the bull by the horns…
▼ …but not when the bull is erupting forth out of a mountain.
▼ So this is what happened to all those dead Tamagotchis….
▼ We’ve seen this guy before, and now he’s back, crushing temples as usual.
▼ Yup, still crushing temples from this side too.
▼ “That human would be in so much trouble
if I didn’t enjoy crushing temples so much!”
Seeing giant festival shrines like that would get me pumped for anything. Blooming cherry blossoms, Brussels sprout harvest, paperclip sale at the local office supply store…you name it. If these monsters were there, I would be too.
If you want to see more work by students at Tokyo University of the Arts, then check out the Six Realms of Buddhism as Whales exhibit that they put up earlier this year. The whales may not be as big as these portable shrine monsters, but they’re no less gorgeous to look at.
Source: Twitter/@kurodamasa via CuRAZY
Images: Twitter/@kurodamasa
University students create giant artwork of an octopus attacking a temple, now seeking a buyer
Hanazono Jinja Shrine: Lanterns, stalls and rakes at annual Tori no Ichi cock festival in Tokyo
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Delta Airlines adds first nonstop flight between Japan’s Narita Airport and U.S. in seven years
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu and Winne-the-Pooh announce crossover merch line [Pics]
This beautiful Okinawa beach gives you the best of both worlds when visiting the prefecture [Pics]
Wagyu ramen for foreign tourists appears in Kabukicho, with a very high price tag
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】