Oh, those wacky Japanese
 

Did you know that in Japan there is a festival celebrating the penis and a similar one for the vagina? It, er, comes complete with genital-shaped candies, carved vegetables and enormous carved genitalia that are paraded through the streets and brought to the local shrine. This story has a description with slideshow.

To give you an idea of the festivities, here are some photos:

http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/ePTnKt..._____DUNFgVPx1

http://lauriekendrick.files.wordpres...pg?w=576&h=432

http://lauriekendrick.files.wordpres...pg?w=576&h=432

http://lauriekendrick.files.wordpres...pg?w=576&h=432

and souvenirs: http://lauriekendrick.files.wordpres...pg?w=576&h=432

Seems to me like a very worthwhile celebration. Though the picture of the old man praying to the carved wooden penis was a bit creepy.

Why though? I thought the general stereotype was that Asians had small small penis(es? penii??) ugh, nevermind.

This thread should be tagged NSFW.

Yes, I knew this. It's at least a millenia old, and it's celebrated with the coming of Spring (like every other culture knows when to commence these things) every Ides of March. I could add in some more history to this if you wish.

Most cultures (ones that are not founded on Puritanical worldviews) have similar sort of festivities / celebrations, if you look hard enough, so with that, I suppose I could add in ones from Spain, Germany, Russia, Canadia, Argentina, Somalia, and wherever else, just to help you out with your opening point. It's up to you.

Thanks for sharing, loquitur. Not many others know of these things, so this is a way to get the conversation started.

Canadia? I thought we were as puritanical as the rest of the British/French founded nations...

The dozens of Native Americans tribes whom lived near the Great Lakes, as well as Inuits to the Northwest had multiple celebrations towards fertility and "the enhancement of their sex life". Plus, The French who eventually landed up North were no slouches themselves; their entire era of exploration and world dominance could, in part, be attributed to their decadence and lavishness.

ahhh. Yes.. I rue the day the Brits quashed all that fun stuff. What were they thinking?

Nice

I've had some penis shaped candies from japan, they are pretty good