At first glance, Yokote’s Bondon Matsuri in Northern Japan may seem rather innocuous. Tall decorative pools are paraded through the streets where later they are taken up a mountain and offered to a Shrine for the sake of a good harvest.
However, if one probes a little deeper they will discover that the 4-meter tall Bonden poles are suppose to represent the penis and only men can participate in carrying it up the mountain. When the Bondon poles are brought to the shrine on the mountain, the whole phallic symbolism becomes very clear.
Men lower their Bonden poles to a horizontal position before vigorously “entering” through the Torii gate and later the main shrine building. Other particpants form a defensive league to protect the shrine’s virtue and when the Bonden carriers try to ram their poles through the opening, the defenders push back. Eventually the shrine’s defenses are beaten and it gradually submits. Sometimes the poles bend and break which made me wince just watching.
I think I mispronounced the name of the festival about half-a-dozen times thru-out the vid!
The Bonden Matsuri takes place Feb 16th-17th with the 17th being the day of innuendo activity.
AloJapan.com