Friday, March 16, 2007

Hounen Matsuri

This annual festival is always popular with the foreign crowd.
I invite you to speculate on why that might be.
Be forewarned, this video is not something that everyone will enjoy!




10 comments:

Daver said...

Hahahahahahah! I saw something about this on discovery channel years ago... it was great then and it's great now! Oh those crazy Japanese, always having fun and weird festivals... for the... you know.

Anonymous said...

Umm...is this some kind of fertility festival?

What is the significance of the giant penis?

AJ & Andrew said...

I want my innocence back!

Anonymous said...

PS. Kelly Osbourne is becoming Japanese on MTV.

She spends a day working at a "Love Hotel" ... ummm...

Anonymous said...

WOW!! now i know what to tell people when they ask me about my heritage!
thank you for this very educational video.

Meaghan said...

I've seen bigger....











...Festivals!
hahah seriously that was hilarious. I've been meaning to comment forever. Luke or someone started watching it the other day and I didn't get a chance to read anything, and I was just like "ummm... haha.. what?"
Looks like a good time hahaha
<3

Anonymous said...

Hi Tara and Ian
I like all the pictures that you have been sending and I miss you guys alot I cant wait for you to come back. I made a new friend at school and his name is Adam. We have been having a few sleepovers.
Lots of love, Jake xoxoxoxoxox

your friends in Japan said...

Dave - I'm glad you still appreciate this festival. It's definitely one of the more unique Japanese festivals!

Anita - Yes, it is indeed a fertility festival. Couples rub the... statues in hopes of gaining reproductive luck.

AJ - SORRY...but you were warned.

Mats - Yep, this certainly dispels all those rumours about... things.

Ar-leen - I'm so glad you liked your prize! I tried to get something with a bit of personal significance. I'm sure you would have been proud of the relish with which I ate everything put in front of me in Korea, and so Korean eating tools seemed like an appropriate prize. Eat your kimchee!

Meaghan - I don't know, that one was pretty BIG. We'll try to find a huge one when you visit!

Jake - I miss you too! Can't wait to see you again. I'm really glad you have a new friend. Have you told him about us being in Japan?

-ian

Anonymous said...

HI! That festival was just... VERY WEIRD!! I mean, what WERE they doing?? Like... well... THAT'S JUST WROOOONG!!!!!lol
Love ya!!!

your friends in Japan said...

Alexandra -
The festival is very old, and is a fertility festival. It is to celebrate and support the birth of children.
Specifically it is for people who wish to have kids, but for some reasons it is hard. They pray during this festival that they should be able to have children one day.
There is a reason for all the madness!!

Love You!
Tara