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Category Archives: Fertility
Higgs Boson and Phalli
Two intriguing links that appeared in my Inbox today, one in prose and the other in photos… The first is a short article summarising the religious import of the Higgs Boson particle: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/philip-clayton-phd/relationship-between-scie_b_1653976.html The other is from the wonderful blog … Continue reading
Posted in Fertility, General
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Otafuku and Uzume
Otafuku is a curious crossbreed character, familiar to anyone who lives in Japan. She’s a dumpy, homely, cheery faced figure who’s also a bringer of happiness. At some shrines she’s given out as an engimono (good luck charm). But … Continue reading
Posted in Fertility, Mythology
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Fertility festival (Ogata Jinja)
Ogata Jinja is a shrine near Nagoya dedicated to Izanami, who gave birth to the Japanese islands beginning with Awaji Island. It’s known for its female fertility symbols and attracts women seeking marriage or the birth of a child. As … Continue reading
Fertility festival (Honen Matsuri)
Today is Honen Matsuri at Tagata Jinja in the small town of Komaki, outside Nagoya, which attracts a lot of attention among Westerners because of its phallus-based rituals. It says much about the repressions of a Christian-based culture. The main … Continue reading
Posted in Fertility, Festivals
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Plum Blossom Festival (at Kitano Tenmangu)
February 25 every year is Baika sai (Plum blossom festival) at Kyoto’s Kitano Tenmangu shrine. It’s also the monthly flea market known as Tenjin san. (Tenjin is the Kitano kami, alias Sugawara Michizane (845-903), a Heian-era statesman. ) Plum … Continue reading
Posted in Fertility, Festivals, Kyoto shrines
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Fertility Festival (Tsunakake sai)
With spring comes a rash of fertility festivals, designed to further the success of the year’s crops. These have ancient origins and go back to a time when the very existence of villagers depended on the success of the harvest. … Continue reading
Yaegaki Shrine and fertility symbols
Entrance to Yaegaki Shrine with characteristic Izumo-style rice rope Japan is a land of pilgrimages, and wherever you go there’s some kind of ‘course’ to follow. In former times this would have involved walking; nowadays it’s done for the most … Continue reading
Posted in Fertility, Izumo, Shrine visits
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