Festival of the Steel Phallus deity gets a steel lid in a rural city. 

For all its staid traditions and formal etiquette, Japanese culture can be surprisingly uninhibited in ways that can leave visitors from abroad clutching their pearls.

Take, for example, a new manhole lid that’s just been installed in front of Kobunoki Shrine in Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture. This sacred place of worship is in full support of the new manhole cover, which features… a colourful and playful phallic design.

While large, glistening penises aren’t something you’re likely to find on a city-endorsed road cover in other parts of the world, here in Japan they don’t shy away from images of male genitalia, seeing them as symbols of the fertility deity Kanamara Daimyojin.

Kanamara Daimyojin, which literally translates as “Great Deity of the Metal Phallus”, is a Shinto deity associated with fertility, safe childbirth, marriage, and protection from sexually transmitted diseases. Commonly represented by a phallus symbol, Kanamara Daimyojin is most famously worshiped at the annual Kanamara Matsuri held at Kanayama Shrine in Tokyo’s neighbouring Kawasaki Prefecture.

▼ The festival, which was held on 5 April this year, features phallic floats, foods and souvenirs.

It was the parishioners’ association at Kobunoki Shrine who donated the manhole cover to the city, in the hopes that it will encourage passersby to stop and take notice of the image, which has been in the hands of a specialist designer since June last year. With its bright, neon-like colours, this manhole lid stands out on the path right in front of the shrine’s vermilion torii gate, and it’s been drawing attention since it was installed on 24 March.

The attention is a welcome draw for the rural city, which is facing economic challenges as younger residents move to big cities. The shrine itself is seen as an important asset for the community, so much so that it received overwhelming support for the crowdfunding campaign held to fund its recent relocation, surpassing its 10 million yen (US$63,085.71) goal.

▼ Despite the recent relocation (the below image shows the pre-construction phase in late 2024), Kobunoki Shrine has a history that can be traced back to 1854.

The shrine is now just a two-minute walk from Ninohe Station, which is a stop on the Tohoku Shinkansen line, making it easy to access from Tokyo. The trip from Japan’s capital takes about three hours, but it’ll make for a memorable destination… and the fertility god will smile on you when you get there.

Shrine Information

Kobunoki Shrine / 枋ノ木神社
Address: Iwate-ken, Ninohe-shi, Ishikiridokoro, Kobunoki 50-7
岩手県二戸市石切所字枋ノ木 50-7
Open 24 hours
Website

Sources: Iwate Nippo, Kobunoki Shrine, Ready For/Ninohe Station Area Neighbourhood Association
Images©SoraNews24
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