Unfortunately the announcement of the new J-List retail shop in Akihabara turned to be an April Fool’s joke (heh, even our staff in San Diego fell for it) — apologies to anyone who was planning on visiting the store. But if you’re interested in a unique experience, you might try the Kanamara Matsuri, translated as Festival of the Steel Phallus, one of the most bizarre and interesting sights you can see in Japan. It’s essentially a Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo, and the crowds go wild as they celebrate the shape of the male member, even carrying a giant mikoshi shrine through the streets of the city. The festival is held the first Sunday of April (this Sunday), so if you happen to be in Japan and are looking for something really interesting to do, give it a try.
(Remind me to write a post on how Japan’s lack of “uptight-ness” is such a wonderful thing.)
The Kanamara Festival is a celebration of, er, the human penis.
