Rated R-21!!!

Posted By: Kimberly

Way back when we lost the ability to blog, just after we wrote our bits about Matsushima Bay and the Cool T-Shirt of Greatness, we went to the Tagata Jinja Hounen Sai.

Disclaimer: While the pictures might look decidedly pervy, the festival is really about celebrating and blessing people with fertility and good harvest and etc... so keep an open mind yea?


So they had all these themed artwork for sale... like clay pottery, ashtrays, even wood carvings... displaying these objects in the home is supposed to work like a charm for promoting prosperity of all kinds!
I also saw far too many kids and more than a few women chomping down on these sweet goodies... Yes, they brought young ones along to enjoy the fun. In fact, an entire horde of children were front-row viewers along the parade lines, led by people who appeared to be their teachers! I honestly cannot imagine anyone from MOE suggesting this sort of thing as a possible school excursion... o.o
Even the bell at the shrine was suitably themed. There was a sign that said No Photos, but it seems that ignoring it on festival day is all right, because loads of people were waving their Nikons, Sonys and Canons. Telescopic lenses included...


This was the Object of Much Veneration... they had teams of chappies toting it down the streets, while the crowd busied themselves with snapping photos manymany, waving their cups of free sake (distributed by a cart preceding this one) and trying to cop a feel since apparently stroking the OMV will bring showers of goodies in the coming year. For those who missed the giant one, they had a priest bring out a relatively smaller one measuring only a metre or so. He made sure that anyone who wanted to hug it and have photos with it, managed to do so.

Anyway, it was at this festival that Vincent finally joined our little tour group. He has been having many adventures ever since! We like to think that our mini OMV has been responsible in some small part for the luck we've enjoyed thus far...






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