Tagata Shrine

Tagata Shrine in the Komaki suburb of Nagoya is an otherwise quiet Shinto shrine that becomes the center of Japan's most famously uninhibited festival each March. The Honen Matsuri fertility festival, held on March 15, features a procession carrying a large wooden phallus through the streets while participants distribute sake and rice cakes to cheering crowds. Outside of festival season, the shrine grounds house a collection of phallic stone carvings and wooden offerings, reflecting ancient agricultural fertility prayers that predate recorded history. The shrine pairs naturally with a visit to nearby Ogata Shrine, which celebrates the feminine counterpart, and together they offer a fascinating window into Japan's frank approach to fertility traditions.