Japanese Culture

The Naked Festival and the Chest Hair Guy

Byjay February 17, 2008June 23, 2009

This year’s festival had the biggest turn out because of the poster controversy. The guy who got the bag, having a beard and especially hairy body, seems to have grossed out some people with his body and facial expression. One train station refused to put up the poster (depicting the moment a winner secured one of the “good health” sacks) claiming that his chest hair constituted sexual harassment.

The guy in the poster says that it’s just how he reacted when he’d secured one of the sacks. I don’t necessarily think it’s a pretty picture… but calling “sexual harassment” (actual termed used in the media in Japan) shows a huge misunderstanding of what sexual harassment really is.

Here is the post. Judge for yourself:

Japan Entertainment | Japanese Business | Japanese Culture | japanese news and society | Japanese Sports | japanese tv

24 Hour TV Marathon Runner for 2011 Will Be Kazuo Tokumitsu

Byjay May 7, 2011May 7, 2011

Every year, Nihon Terebi, also known as the Nippon Television Network has a 24 hour telethon. The telethon, known as 24 Hour TV (Love Will Save the World) always features an entertainer as a marathon runner. The marathon runner’s training and story are featured throughout the weeks leading up to 24 Hour TV, and during…

Google Japan | Japanese Culture | japanese news and society | Living in Japan

Coming of Age Day 2011 Google Logo

Byjay January 10, 2011

Google has changed its Japan logo for the celebration of Coming of Age Day, also called Adult’s Day. New adults (age 20 here) hear a few speeches from bureaucrats about the responsibilities of being an adult and a “shakaijin” or contributing member of society.

japanese girls

Women in Japan Still Want a Rich Husband

Byjay January 9, 2009June 22, 2009

The reason I put “still” in the title of this post is because lately there’s been a sort of politically correct type of trend here. People don’t like people to talk about people being elite. They say that people should not talk about education and things like that… but the reality is this – Reuters…

Japan Entertainment | Japanese Culture | Japanese Government | japanese news and society | Living in Japan

Japanese Satire News Site Similar to The Onion

Byjay May 30, 2011

I was recently asked if Japan has anything similar to “The Onion” which is a humorous website that publishes satirical stories or parodies of current events. Although The Onion is already quite well known, one of its charms is that it publishes stories that are well-written and close enough to reality to give a person…

Japanese Culture | japanese girls

CNN Reports about the Hostess Club 16 Year Old Playboy

Byjay January 20, 2008September 7, 2010

CNN Reports this story in its U.S. edition. Boy, 16, enjoys champagne, hostesses This is why only people that understand Japanese and that made a sincere effort to learn about the real Japan know anything about Japan. Even in the English language newspapers in Japan you have news about the 14 year old girl with…

Japan Entertainment | Japanese Culture | japanese education | japanese tv

Top 10 Japanese TV Shows Parents Don’t Want Kids to See

Byjay May 18, 2011May 20, 2011

This is a part of the annual poll conducted of members of Japan’s National PTA Association. It lists the top 8 Japanese TV shows that members think kids should not see. Topping the list for the 8th year in a row is a favorite among non-Japanese residents in Japan, followed by other perennials and even…