Uwajima is probably most famous for bullfights - the kind where the bulls fight each other, forcing each other out of a ring as in sumo - but there were no bouts scheduled during my visit (they're only held a few times each year). However, as you saw on the way in, the coastline around Uwajima offers some very nice scenery, so I decided to explore some of the tiny coastal roads as a day-trip from the city. These huge trays contain "chirimen-jakko", microscopic black-eyed fish that are a common item on your lunch or dinner tray.

One of Uwajima's most unique attractions is also undoubtedly the most unusual shrine in Japan: Taga Jinja. The tiny shrine itself is relatively ordinary apart from the huge phallic objects scattered around the premises. (The shrine's other name is "dekoboko jinja," "dekoboko" meaning "projections and depressions" - you begin to get the idea.) What draws visitors is the three-story building beside the shrine that houses an incredible, jaw-dropping collection of erotic art and memorabilia that simply has to be seen to be believed. The middle floor has international exhibits, while floors 1 and 3 offer domestic product. Some of the classic ukiyoe wood-block prints are artistically very innovative, as you see here. Sorry for the self-censorship - this is a family site.