KANAMARA FESTIVAL aka PENIS FESTIVAL

I didn't leave for China until Sunday so I could make it to the Anime Convention on Saturday and then I came back a day early just to make it to this festival - I missed it for the past 2 years, but I knew for dang sure I HAD to make it this year!

For some reason - this place was filled with mostly foreigners - men & women... my Japanese friends didn't know about it and didn't really care to know..

Pauline gave me a 'free' pass & said I could say the word 'penis' as many times as I wanted that day.. since I normally never say it - you betcha I took advantage of it.

IF YOU SEE THIS - CONSIDER YOURSELF "LUCKY" - I am only making it public for one day, then off to protected post it goes.

As unbelievable as it is for you to be looking at these pictures, it was way worse in real life.

"Spring is in the air, and perhaps the joys of the season in the Kanto region are nowhere more lusciously expressed than in Kawasaki Daishi, Kanagawa Prefecture, which is bracing itself for its annual phallic festival. Shinto offers more titillating tumescent thrills than most world religions, as the Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) this year on Mar 31 and April Fool's Day proves.

Sexually transmitted diseases spurred the popularization of phallic symbols in some of Japan's festivals dedicated to the male member, such as this one dating back to the Edo period (1603-1867). At that time, Kawasaki's "ladies of the night" prayed not only that business would be brisk, but for protection from syphilis. Come cherry blossom time, they gathered baskets of bamboo shoots and other sprouting delicacies, carried the shrine's phallic image in procession through the streets, and then sat down to a merry banquet on mats spread out on the courtyard of Kanamara Shrine.

With the spread of syphilis now curbed, participants in the modern festival solicit donations for HIV/AIDS research. Today, the highlights of this saucy festival include transvestites parading through the town's streets carrying a mikoshi (portable shrine) with a humungous pink phallus on top. And, if that's not guaranteed to make you blush as deeply as the surrounding cherry blossoms, then the spectacle of grandmas and grandpas sucking on carnal candy and sweetmeat replicas of this stupendous phallus, is more than likely to.

Other attractions include locals carving penises out of daikon (radish), children and young women sitting astride penis-shaped seesaws for good luck and fertility blessings, as well as a seated banquet in the compound of Kanamara Jinja (aka Wakamiya Hachiman-gu shrine) where the phallic radishes are auctioned. All are welcome to take part in the festival's parade and banquet, which includes dancing and karaoke singing. Many revelers, Japanese and foreigners alike, turn out in kimono, Edo period attire or drag for this two-day event of phallic fun which is also attended by many of the area's community leaders and civic dignitaries." taken from here

don't know any other way to put it "only in japan"

:: carving penises using daikon ::

:: speechless ::

:: agnes, pauline, me. & marg ::

:: he was serious - so we bowed down to the penis with him ::

:: star photo ::

:: EVERYONE was busy taking pictures & videos ::

:: chocolates - of course we bought some ::

:: and there was even a BLACK one ::

:: ummmmm.... ::

:: oh the crowd ::

:: after we bought the chocolates, the guy wanted us to take a photo - he wanted me to carry that thing so i did.. and happen to put it really close to marg's mouth.. puahahaha ::

:: we even rode on one ::

:: and so did they ::

:: how appropriate :: 

:: carrying the penis shrine out ::

:: and we bought these crazy hankies ::

:: as we were leaving.. ::

:: that night we met up may & yoji for dinner in harajuku ::

ps. in between the festival & dinner, marg & i made it to church (since it was a sunday) to pray for forgiveness O=/

to: all otakus (aka anime lovers)

:: girls at shibuya crossing bowing down in the middle of the street and then running across ::

:: dinner at this cool cafe that makes you feel like you're in a club in shibuya ::

:: chieko & me ::

:: j visited from korea and ran into the middle of shibuya crossing before everyone walked across ::

ANIME FAIR 2007

* disclaimer - if you don't know what some of this stuff is, don't ask me b/c chances are i don't either.

:: do you see something wrong with this photo? ::

:: for my bests, dru & melissa ::

"Did you know three years ago you saved my life on this Easter weekend?  I just want to say thank you for listening to me – for giving me hope.  Thank you – I am forever indebted." f.k.

you never know when you are making a difference. keep shining, my friends.

We all got off work a little early today, yet I stayed behind to upload pics - it is now almost 8pm and I am STILL here. So much to do, so little time!

back to st.patty's day weekend...

DRAGON FESTIVAL @ ASAKUSA (my neighborhood) on Sunday, March 18th

:: I live really close, yet never bothered to take a pic of it - ASAHI beer "poo" ::

:: for my nikka, dru - too many nikka jokes ::

:: one of the most popular restaurants in asakusa - soba with huge shrimp tempera ::

:: after the dragon festival - i told marg that today was the pasmo card's debut (train pass) and i found out that they had this special card (shown above) for the first 110,000 people - we decided to go on a HUNT for this super cute card. after getting on/off the train about 10 times and stopping by at least 5 major stations - mission failed. they had already sold ALL of them. unbelievable! so instead i took a picture of the card and pretended that we were successful. haha ::

ST.PATRICK'S DAY PARADE in Tokyo

:: then i told her about the st.patrick's day parade that happens every year in harajuku/omotesando - every year i've missed it b/c it always lands at the same time as church which also happens to always be my church's anniversary so i always feel guilty about skipping church to go to the parade. this year, however, was my last chance - so we went AND made it to church (late that is) ::

:: my tokyo partner in crime, marg & i dressed for the occassion ::

:: Irish or not, come one, come all ::

monday, march 19th the girls met up for my superstar (roma) friend's concert

:: chieko told me meet in shibuya and find hachiko since he was wearing a poncho that day ::

:: don't have any pictures of the concert since we weren't allowed to take pics, but it was good indeed! we saw a dance off with some awesome dancers. then off to eat mexican (like we always do when we meet up) ::

:: texas <3 ::

:: already drunk =/ ::

:: SO much food =/ ::

:: marg, me, may, chieko, & michelle ::

<3<3<3

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Japan Fashion Week as a photographer - it was like a dream come true. I LOVE fashion & I love photography - so I was thrilled! Since most of you don't know, I am 'planning' to get into the fashion industry once I move back home, it's always been my dream to be a designer. Dreams don't come true unless you try, so I'm going to go for it. Usually people work hard in the fashion industry and then one day they're able to go to Fashion Week - instead, to get my foot in the door - I started at Fashion Week. =) Although I realized what a cut-throat world fashion is, being there really made me realize this is where I need to be. Out of all the events I attended I think this collection was the best - too bad it was the first event I went to so it all goes downhill from here, but I'll post all the other pics anyway. 

ps. Yes I know it's JAPAN fashion week, yet the models aren't Japanese. Go figure.

to: all fashionistas

friday, 3.16 fashion show.

7pm - Yuki Torii International collection

:: with mozzie's help, I went to pick up my press pass here ::

:: the hardcore audience - high in the japan fashion world ::

8pm - Sunao Kuwahara collection

- there was a lot of smoke so the pictures didn't turn out so great. gomen ne.

just got back from china today.

friends in town, events going down, going out of town.. ahhh.. so many things to update on, where do i start?

ok i'll start from where i left off. so i guess you won't see china pics until at least next week. =/

MASSIVE pictures updates soon. i won't let you down, promise.

leaving for china tomorrow. beijing first to see the great wall & then maybe shanghai. any recommendations of must sees & dos in either?

please advise.

been crazy busy. will post more pics soon.

sneak peek.  

may 18th, 1985 - march 15, 2007

rest in peace, david kim.

 you were strong until the very end. you are now relishing in God's presence without feeling anymore pain. how lucky you are.

my dee - you are the most loving sister, no doubt. no one can ever feel your pain for you knew him best. may you find joy in knowing that he's not hurting anymore. God needed another angel & he knew that your little brother is the perfect one.

i love you, dee. praying, praying, praying for you & your family.