Phallic worship in Japan, celebrating the phallus

Throughout Japan, the phallus has been venerated and celebrated for many centuries. Modern day festivals still preserve aspects of the phallic symbols from early Japanese literature and the agricultural practices of the Yayoi Period. However, considerable variation in phallic form among excavated artefacts from the Jomon Period has led to disparate interpretations of their influence on modern practices. Furthermore, our understanding of phallic worship is limited by its scant record in early Japanese literature. Investigation of the current phallic festivals and sites in Niigata, Gifu, Nagano, and Aichi Prefectures, revealed that although the practices of this tradition vary from region to region, one consistent distinction can be made between natural phallic forms and manufactured phalli. While former are primarily concerned with man's physical health (e.g. prevention of disease, easy childbirth, etc.), the latter are worshipped to inculcate agricultural success.