7 photos from Japan's NSFW penis festival you need to see

Warning: Penis pictures ahead. Don't read this at work.

The annual Kanamara Festival at Kanayama Shrine in Japan has been held this month, raising money for HIV awareness and research and celebrating a 17th century tale about a steel phallus that defeated a demon.

The festival features a parade through the town and lots and lots of penises.

Thousands of tourists can pick up penis candy, penis statues, penis key-chains and more, during one of the most unique festivals in the Japanese calendar.

The festivities centre around the Kanayama shrine, which was historically popular with sex workers who prayed for prosperity and protection from sexually transmitted infections.

The 17th century legend surrounding the shrine goes thusly:

A sharp-toothed demon hid inside the vagina of a young woman who wedded two men. On both wedding nights, the demon castrated the men by biting their pensises off.

The young woman sought help, which came from a blacksmith who made an iron phallus.

The demon bit down on the phallus and broke his teeth, and was thus vanquished. The phallus was subsequently enshrined.

Here are a few photos from the auspicious day:

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

There are statues all over:

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

So many edible treats:

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

People carry a large phallus-like statue through the streets.

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

Picture: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

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