Hodare Matsuri

Drove 1.5 hours in the snow to Shimoraiden, a remote village in the mountains (really tiny and remote, no train service there!) for its annual Hodare Matsuri.

Look at the photos and guess what this festival celebrates.

Yep, hodare refers to the male organ, but it can also mean the ripening of rice plants. The main symbol of this festival is a wooden penis measuring 2.2m and weighing 600kg (in the photo directly above). Erm, it is apparently "the biggest of its kind in Japan" according to the website. It is believed that praying to or touching it will ensure a good marriage, fertility and good fortune, resulting in the long line that formed in front of the shrine.

Souvenirs being sold (not cheap...the biggest one on the right is 37,000-yen or more than S$500!! The smallest is 3,500-yen, about S$50)

Fancy a lollipop? (hey, these sold like hotcakes ok)

Newly-wed brides get a free ride; anyone else who wants a ride has to pay 800-yen (S$11)