Wow! The Annual Penis Festival just Happened - in Japan! (See Photos)

 

This has to be one of the weirdest festivals ever! During spring in Japan, every year, people flock to Kawasaki to celebrate Kanamara Matsuri aka the "Festival of the Steel Phallus."

Held this year on April 6, the festival is a celebration of the penis and fertility in a no-holds-barred kind of way. And it is carried out in a carnivalesque, friendly atmosphere that puts a smile on the face of every visitor. 
People parade gigantic phallic-shaped mikoshi (portable Shinto shrines) down the streets during the event, as revelers suck on penis lollipops, buy penis-themed memorabilia and pose with sculptures in the shape of -- you guessed it -- penises.

 

According to the BBC, the festival is believed to have roots in the 17th century, when prostitutes are said to have prayed for protection from sexually transmitted infections at Kawasaki's Kanamara shrine. But today, the festival reportedly raises awareness about safe sex practices and fundraises for HIV prevention.

Scroll down to see the (somewhat NSFW) photographs of this year's Kanamara Matsuri:which attracts both masses of locals and a considerable tourist contingent.