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TsukuBlog A Local Perspective on Life in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Genitalia-Shaped Rice-Cakes at the Takasai Jinja Shrine`s (高道祖神社) SAYARIBO Festival (塞り棒祭）on March 7, 2021 – NOT TOMORROW (Feb. 25th) 24 February, 2021 Sticky rice cakes in the shape of male and female genitalia (called SAYARIBO) are made by local parishioners and sold (to be eaten) as good luck charms on the day of the day before Little New Year’s (KOSHOGATSU) at the Takasai Jinja Shrine in Shimotsuma. They are now believed to be good for marital harmony, conceiving a child, easy delivery, sexual health- and fertility in general! Before the Meiji Restoration of 1868, though, and these MALE and FEMALE symbols were connected to Mikkyo (Esoteric Buddhism) which stressed the importance of balance between the male and female forces. Though the Koshogatsu festival has long been held according to the lunar calendar (which is tomorrow Feb. 25th) it has been permanently changed to t ....