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Hounen Matsuri: A Celebration of Fertility |
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Where it's at
The Japanese festival experience exemplifies beautifully the
inevitable flip side of a conservative culture. Top of the
list must be the Hounen Matsuri (pronounced
"hoe-nen matt-sury")"bountiful year" festival,
otherwise known as the "fertility festival".
What happens at the Hounen Matsuri Festival?
The festival is deeply rooted in Japanese folklore. It began
as an appeal to the gods for a fruitful harvest. March 15th
marks the beginning of spring, a time of rebirth and growth. |
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On this day, locals dressed in Buddhist robes carry floats
through the centre of town praying for a good harvest and
childbirth. The main float consists of a two and a half metre
wooden phallus, which is carried from one shrine to
another. In the Shinto belief, newly made objects flow
with life, thus a new phallus is carved every year from a
Japanese cypress tree. It is a gift to the female deity of
agricultural fertility, Tamahime-no-mikoyo. The float
is carried by men all aged 42. This age is considered unlucky
for men, a superstition rooted in Chinese culture. Carrying
the gift to the agricultural deity is believed to consecrate
the men of that hapless age. |
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Walking the dog
The parade begins at 2pm, led by a Shinto priest who purifies
the path to the shrine with salt. This is also done to ward
off evil spirits. Men follow carrying banners depicting the
anatomical rudiments of fertility. Local dignitaries dressed
in golden sashes once worn by Buddhist priests follow the
banners.
Touching the phalus |
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Visitors are encouraged to take part in the festival and
this can be done by drinking free sake, following the parade
or by touching one of several small wooden phalli in the hope
for healthy babies.
Fill of the tuck
No Japanese festival would be complete without lining the
quiet streets with yatai, or foodstalls. There
are plenty of opportunities to sample 500 yen ($4) takoyaki
(octopus grilled in batter) and 300 yen ($2.50) yakitori (grilled
chicken on a stick) among other festival delights. At this
particular festival, there are chances to buy theme-shaped
chocolates as souvenirs. Use your imagination! |
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Float carried by men, all aged 42 (an unlucky number)
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Rice cake throw
To round the day off there is a Mochi Nage, or rice-cake
throw, which - like the entire festival - has to be seen to
be believed. Behind the shrine a square crams with people
waiting to catch flying balls of tasteless glutinous rice.
Catching a ball of mochi guarantees good luck and prosperity
for the coming year. It is also the closest the Japanese and
their visitors come to taking part in a full-scale riot without
arrest.
Local people throw the homemade mochi into the crowd from
their roofs. Fighting for a cake alongside the elderly is
not uncommon. A must see if not a must do. |
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How to get there
Komaki is both easy and cheap to get to from Nagoya. From
Shin Nagoya station (beside JR Nagoya station) take
the Meitestu Inuyama line to Inuyama station (30 minutes).
At Inuyama station, change to the Komaki line (platform
3) and catch any train south. Tagata Jingu Mae is the
third station. Come out of the station and walk south (left)
down the main road. On March 15th, however, it will just be
a matter of following the crowd. |
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