The snake lady at Hanazono Shrine

Last week, Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku once again hosted its fall festival, featuring around 200 food stalls, game booths and a tent for the 蛇女さん, or the Snake Lady. For 800 yen, visitors could watch her, flowing scarfs and all, bite off the head of three-foot long snake and slowly swallow its body. Photography was prohibited inside.

The show’s barker promised that the activities were indeed suitable for women and children but as these Youtube videos reveal it is some gruesome stuff:

The third festival of the month starts this Friday and continues through Saturday.

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