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Kanamara Festival Celebrates Sexuality Amid Japan's Birth Rate Decline

4/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Kanamara fertility festival in Japan, held on April 5, drew crowds to celebrate sexuality with phallic shrines.
The festival is rooted in a legend about a blacksmith's creation to defeat a demon and destigmatize sexuality.
Chief priest Hiroyuki Nakamura says the festival aims to change perceptions of sexuality, and attendees described the event as wholesome.
In 2025, Japan's birth rate fell for the 10th consecutive year, with 705,809 births.

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Story summary

The Kanamara fertility festival in Japan, held on April 5, drew crowds to celebrate sexuality with phallic shrines.
The festival is rooted in a legend about a blacksmith's creation to defeat a demon and destigmatize sexuality.
Chief priest Hiroyuki Nakamura says the festival aims to change perceptions of sexuality, and attendees described the event as wholesome.
In 2025, Japan's birth rate fell for the 10th consecutive year, with 705,809 births.