In the Christian tradition, Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some scholars say the holiday, which falls around the spring equinox, has some pagan or pre-Christian influences. For example, in some Western countries the Easter holiday is represented by colored eggs and rabbits—both symbols of fertility and the promise of rebirth in spring— that were used by ancient Saxons in Northern Europe, while they worshiped the Goddess Oestre (or Eostre).

Some regions of Japan also mark the start of spring with a fertility festival.

A photo posted by @yoshimi1204 on Mar 15, 2016 at 9:51pm PDT

At Tagata Shrine (田縣神社, Tagata Jinja), in Komaki, just north of Nagoya in central Japan, the symbolism is stark; there is no beating around the bush, as prayers for fertility and bountiful harvests in the coming year are represented by a large wooden phallus.

A video posted by AZ (@az___s) on Mar 16, 2016 at 4:12pm PDT

Every year on March 15, coinciding with the vernal equinox, the Hōnen Festival is held at Tagata Shrine in Komaki. A sleeping male god, Takeinadane, is brought to visit a sleeping female deity, Tamahime-no-mikoto (both dieties reside at their own shrines in the neighborhood).

The festival includes a variety of wooden phalluses, some borne by members of the procession, others sold as trinkets or snacks.

A photo posted by JAPAN 🇯🇵 大渡 ジョニー (@japan_gram) on Mar 15, 2016 at 9:22pm PDT

The annual fertility festival attracts crowds of locals and tourists.

A photo posted by @mie0818 on Mar 15, 2016 at 8:47am PDT

The deities meet at Tagata Shrine in Komaki, and are delivered by mikoshi portable shrines.

Originally Takeinade, the male deity, was represented by a straw effigy with a small wooden phallus. Over time, as the festival evolved Takeneinade and his wooden phallus were obscured inside the mikoshi portable shrine.

Because of this, the wooden phallus has grown over time, as it is replaced each year, so that it is now about 2.5 meters (13 feet) long and weighs 280 kilograms (620 pounds).

A video posted by suzuki (@suzkoz) on Mar 14, 2016 at 10:07pm PDT

Once at Tagata Shrine, the two gods are awakened and Takeinadane is enshrined at Tagata Shrine for another year.

A photo posted by @momma_michiquita on Mar 23, 2016 at 7:51am PDT



Tamahime-no-mikoto is returned to her home at Ogata Shrine just up the road.

A photo posted by Cleiton Fujimura (@cleitoninjapan) on Mar 14, 2016 at 11:19pm PDT

You can explore the Honen Festival on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #tagatashrine, #田県神社 and #豊年祭.