This last weekend, we went to the HODARE festival in Tochio. It was VERY snowy, VERY VERY cold, and VERY VERY VERY wet. But we put up with 3 hours in the bad weather for a chance to ride the biggest HODARE in Japan!
HODARE festival is a very unique festival in Japan.
It is held each year at Shimoraiden on the second Sunday of March. Shimoraiden is a village of Tochio area in Nagaoka City. In Tochio, there are many Buddhist stone images. Originally, the main symbol of the HODARE fesival -- a wooden penis, 2.2m in length, and weighing 600kg -- was made of stone. This symbol had special religious significance for many people who believe that praying to or touching the symbol would ensure a good marriage, fertility, or good fortune.
Today, it is the biggest of its kind in Japan.
The HODARE symbol usually rests in a shrine located next to an 800-year-old ceder tree. During the festival, a large ceremonial rope weighing 200kg is tied around the tree. It takes about 25 men to assist in this task.
The ceremony begins at 11am. At this time, many people place strings of special beads in front of the HODARE symbol. This is followed by hopeful mothers-to-be who pray for a happy home-life and healthy babies. The symbol is then carried from its usual resting place to the street and paced on to a portable shrine. Some women climb on to it, and are carried around he streets of Shimoraiden.
The festival is said to have its origins from before the Edo era. In those days on the day of the festival, the young villagers would gather in the open space before the Buddhist statue and then carry the stone penis and large worry beads around the village accompanied by conch shells and 'taiko' drum players. It was thought that if they stopped, misfortune would descend upon them.
There was also a stall selling delicious local sake (which was good!), sweet drinks, and 'kajuka' fish sake. Congrats to Pam who had to nerve to try it!
For the girls who went...
The festival is said to have its origins from before the Edo era. In those days on the day of the festival, the young villagers would gather in the open space before the Buddhist statue and then carry the stone penis and large worry beads around the village accompanied by conch shells and 'taiko' drum players. It was thought that if they stopped, misfortune would descend upon them.
Hodare in English is 'male genitals', but if the characters are written in hiragana, the meaning then becomes 'the ripening of rice plants'.
At this years festival, they had 'lucky mochi' making and a stall selling Tochio's famous Jumbo Aburage, Tamari, souvenirs and more.
For the girls who went...
I will always cherish the memory of trying not to laugh when those
two drunk elderly guys yelled "Symbol....Panis!" at us!
Nice! :)
Plus, I will always cringe when I remember us getting into my car the night before
and the surprise we saw then.
