We all know Japan hasn't been fertile ground for the Xbox 360. We also know that the home office isn't above the
occasional goofy promotional stunt to help turn the tide leading up to launch #2. That's why I'm surprised Microsoft
missed the opportunity to please the Shinto deities by sponsoring this Japanese cultural event (nsfw):KAWASAKI -- Thousands flocked to a small shrine here Sunday to take part in the Kanamara Festival, an event with roots dating back centuries and known for its huge consecrated phallus portable shrine carried mostly by transvestites.
Revelers also watched mostly young women sit atop huge wooden penises made as Shinto totems, each woman sparking a rapid-fire succession of camera flashes from the dozens of mostly middle-aged men armed with digital cameras.
You'd think the marketing department would be willing to try anything at this point, and no one can say that a giant Xbox 360-branded phallus wouldn't make news. The commemorative faceplates alone would have been gold on Ebay.