The Taga Shrine
At Taga Shrine in Uwajima, the main object of veneration is an enormous battering ram of a phallus. This massive, veined wooden penis is more than mere wishful-thinking on the part of the Japanese; it is a bona-fide cultural icon. As in, "Hey, get a load of that cultural icon." Demure Japanese women dressed in Western fashions and carrying Chanel bags come to Taga Shrine to pray before the phallus. They pray for easy childbirth, fertility, and good health, and it isn't in the least bit incongruous. Japan has a way of transcending incongruities: ancient/modern, subtle/burlesque, tradition/novelty.
Read more about this shrine here.
2 comments:
That is totally wild how they pray to the dick, could you imagine trying to pull that off in the U.S? Somebody would have you in court to get rid of it.
Oh my! I'd love to go see that!
hugs
Des
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