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Naturally, It's Good Luck For Japanese Brides To Ride A Giant Wooden Penis

Naturally, It's Good Luck For Japanese Brides To Ride A Giant Wooden Penis

Woah.

Josh Teal

Josh Teal

Good luck superstition has always been a big thing when it comes to weddings.

In Ancient Roman times, studying pig entrails used to be a key for finding out when the luckiest time was to marry. In Hindu tradition rain is seen as precursor for a good knot-tie and in Egypt, its not uncommon for women to pinch the bride.

In Japan, the bride climbs atop a giant wooden cock that is then paraded through the streets. Standard.

Take a look at the bizarre footage here...

Video: Ruptly

Sorta makes a fool of all the other traditions, doesn't it?

Yep, the Hodare festival in the city of Nagaoka one of Japan's - yes, one of - ahem biggest penis festivals.

It is held on the second Sunday of March each year, the most recent obviously taking place yesterday.

Women who have married in the past year put on traditional Japanese bridal gowns and also ride their own seven-foot phallus.

Image: Ruptly

So why the giant wooden dick, you ask? In Japan, it's celebrated as an emblem of good fortune. People are even known to stroke as it passes through the town.

The festivities are seen as bestowing fertility, marital bliss and good luck on those who participate.

Horade literally means male genitals in English, althought when spelt in caps means "ripening of rice plants." Now there's a comedy sketch in there.

Image: Ruptly

As mentioned, this festival is not a one of a kind thing in Japan.

The Shinto Kanamara Matsuri festival is a fellow phallus-loving street parade in which locals carry a 280kg, 2.5m-long wooden penis to a shrine called Tagata Jinja. All proceeds go toward HIV awareness and research.

Featured Image Credit: Ruptly