Japan’s pavilion of the sex gods

The Seishin no Yakata isn’t mentioned in the standard guidebooks to Japan, and it’s not on JTB’s recommended list of sites to visit–officially at least. This museum is located north of Tokyo in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. Sightseers who visit Nikko can easily stop by for a quick look on their way home. Admission is just 1,000 yen, and it’s open every day except Tuesdays.

What exhibits does this museum have that may be of interest to the tourist or visitor on a day trip from Tokyo? Here’s a hint: the museum’s name in English translates to Pavilion of the Sex Gods.

I don’t know who the architect was, but whoever designed the building’s exterior deserves a salute for his or her imagination. The overall concept borrows from Shinto motifs that are at least 1,500 years old. To enter, visitors must cross over a small bridge, and the entryway is designed to resemble the female sexual organs. Just to the right of the entrance is a phallic statue affixed with shide, folded paper that is a ritual implement in Shinto. It is used as part of the purification process for items offered to the divinities. (And how thoughtful of them to place it under a traditional umbrella to protect it from the elements.) The Japanese have never been shy about the sexual aspect of Shinto, and many of the exhibits in this museum seem to be of a religious nature.

For a description of the museum exhibits, here’s one site in English you can try; there are also photos at the bottom of the page. Here’s a more detailed explanation, but unfortunately the author’s English is sorely in need of translation into real English. For those of you who can read Japanese, here’s the same page written in the author’s native language so you can discover what he was really trying to say. If you can’t read Japanese and are trying to make sense of the essayist’s English, it might help if you pretend you’re deciphering the Japanese equivalent of the Rosetta Stone.

As is typical of tourist attractions in Japan, there’s a shop selling o-miyage, or the souvenirs of your trip you can buy as gifts for the people back home. I’m sure everyone will be delighted with their presents from the Pavilion. One exhibit that impresses most visitors is the rather massive piece of timber shown here, which perhaps gives new meaning to the slang term “wood”. It’s an exhibit, remember, not a souvenir gift. Not all of the exhibits seem to be from Japan; also pictured is the Mexican Cactus Man, who I’m sure quickly wears out his welcome.

The Japanese who have reported on their trips to the museum say it has an impressive collection of exhibits, and that visitors should allow for an hour to appreciate its content in full. One says that the current curator is a woman who inherited the exhibits from her father, the previous curator. Thus, as with so many enterprises in Japan, this is a family operation handed down from one generation to the next.

There is also an adult video shown on a large screen, but the consensus of the visitors is that it was the most disappointing exhibit in the museum. After watching it, one visitor commented that he realized how difficult it must be for the actresses in these films to deliver a convincing performance working with such unappealing co-stars.

All the Japanese visitors also recommend the ramen shop right across the street as being inexpensive and tasty. So, the Seishin no Yakata seems to be a site that the discriminating tourist will find a worthwhile destination!