Countries
Kanamara Matsuri
5
Apr
Date
5 Apr (Sunday)
Time
Sunday
Venue
Kawasaki Station, 26-1 Ekimae Honcho, Kawasaki Ward
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
📝 Useful Information
The Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) will be held on Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. Centered at Kanayama Shrine, this annual Shinto fertility festival typically runs from 11:00 AM to 4:45 PM.
The festival is famous for its phallic-themed celebrations, including decorations, candy, and carved vegetables. Historically, it served as a place for sex workers to pray for protection against diseases; today, it is a popular tourist attraction that raises funds for HIV research and celebrates fertility, easy childbirth, and marital harmony.
Are you looking for more details to help plan your visit, such as:
Event Overview
Key Highlights
Location & Access
•Mikoshi Parade: Three primary portable shrines are paraded through the streets:
•Kanamara Mikoshi: The oldest, featuring a wooden phallus.
•Kanayama Boat Mikoshi: Features a black iron phallus.
•Elizabeth Mikoshi: A large pink phallus donated by a cross-dressing club, often considered the festival's icon.
•Festive Foods: Vendors sell themed items like phallic-shaped lollipops, candies, and carved daikon radishes.
•Parade Route: The procession moves from Kanayama Shrine to Daishi Park and back.
•Venue: Kanayama Shrine (located on the grounds of Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine).
•Address: 2-13-16 Daishi Ekimae, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa.
•2-13-16 Daishi Ekimae, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa
•Getting There: Take the Keikyu Main Line to Keikyu-Kawasaki Station, then transfer to the Keikyu Daishi Line and get off at Kawasaki-Daishi Station. The shrine is a 1- to 5-minute walk from there.
•Arrive Early: The shrine area is small and becomes extremely crowded. Arriving before noon is recommended to secure a viewing spot.
•Alternative Viewing: To avoid the heaviest crowds, Tokyo Cheapo suggests walking to Daishi Park, where the parade turns around.
•Pre-Festival Activities: A "Yoimiya" (evening) festival often takes place the day before (April 4, 2026), featuring rituals like radish shaving.
•Nearby accommodation recommendations in Kawasaki or Yokohama?
•A list of other traditional festivals happening in Japan during April?
•Specific travel routes from your current location in Tokyo?
Updated at 23 Mar 2026