The annual Kanamara Penis Festival is one of the most famous and popular in Japan and seems to be attended by as many foreigners as Japanese. While you probably won't find it promoted in any of the official government tourist information, sightseers to take snaps of the phallic objects of worship as well as sample the penis-shaped sweets. Cool Japan indeed.
Held every April in Kawasaki City, one of the highlights of the festival is a large pink phallic float apparently called Elizabeth.
Last year this was only on a four-wheeled trolley and visitors were disappointed by its lack of ...
It's from late December 2013 but we just stumbled upon this stimulating article on The Tokyo Files about Yoshiwara.
As regular readers will know, Yoshiwara was the licensed pleasure quarter in historical Tokyo (Edo). Today it doesn't correspond to an official address (funny that!) but you can find it at Senzoku 4-chome in Taito-ku, which is in the east of the city and very far from the expensive brand stores or third-wave coffee shops of Shinjuku, Shibuya and Omotesando.
Its location from 1675 was moated with two entry points: the Japanese love to control everything, even ...
Japan's first strip show opened in January 1947 and we found some fantastic vintage advertising for it.
Seventy years ago, the pioneering strip club event took place in Shinjuku at the Teitoza theater and was rather tame, not surprising given the attitude toward women at the time.
It was a "gakubuchi show", where woman would strike poses of famous nudes in art history, such as Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" that features on the advertising. This is similar to other tableau vivant or poses plastiques early strip shows in other cities, perhaps especially London. They kept their bras on for ...
Some time ago we wrote about the 1990s scandal in which Ministry of Finance bureaucrats were arrested for receiving favors, including trips to shabu shabu restaurants where the female staff wore no panties.
Such "no-pan kissa" (no-panties coffee shops or cafes) or restaurants peaked during the 1980s, especially in Osaka and Tokyo, and had many variations. Some had mirrored floors so diners could see up waitresses' skirts. Others may have offered "extras" not on the official menu. They might serve drinks or full meals -- but there was always a smile on the face of the clientele.
In many ...
The gentrification and renaissance of Yoshiwara, the former licensed red-light district (and today, an unlicensed red-light district), continues.
After a designer souvenir shop we saw earlier in the year now comes a new book shop, Kasutori Shobo. The store opened on September 3rd in the heart of Yoshiwara, selling books reprinting valuable resources and history about Yoshiwara and the adult side to the Showa era.
Alongside other publishers' titles, the shop also publishes its own books. The owner, Goh Watanabe, raised money via a crowdfunding service to do this, achieving his target in ...
Even classic games can be kinky!
The Kentama is by SSI, one of Japan's leading adult toys makers. It's a shameless attempt to cash in on the kendama boom sweeping Japan right now, but of course it's a cheeky adult version.
For those who don't know, the kendama is a cup-and-ball toy that dates back to the Edo era in Japan. It's similar to the bilboquet in France.
Naturally, even a regular kendama has phallic influences. After all, there's a long shaft (ken) and a ball that you try to "spike".
This has historical roots. The kendama is not just a toy but also an engimono (good ...
Like most places, older politicians in Japan are no strangers to sex scandals: from gay prostitutes to forcing young sportsmen to kiss them or even putting bondage club visits on the expense books.
And it's not just the politicos. The bureaucrats are at it too.
In 1998 seven senior civil servants in the Ministry of Finance were arrested and charged with corruption. They had received favors from figures in the finance world, such as trips to a "no-panties shabu shabu" establishment in Tokyo's Kabukicho.
Japan's anti-prostitution laws -- paying for penetration is officially illegal ...
Here's some vintage coverage of United States servicemen enjoying nascent Japanese-style Turkish baths (toruko-buro, the old name for what became soapland).
"The Turkish Bath has come to Tokyo with a difference," it proclaims. "Real Hot Turkish Bath". Hmm, quite.
The source is apparently a June 1958 issue of adult magazine People Today. The original scans are viewable here.
The magazine article appears to cover the new modern steam baths appearing in Tokyo in the postwar period, possibly during the occupation years before prostitution was illegalized.
This is all very ...
Some generous soul has unearthed a copy of an old Japanese sex guide for youngsters. And what a find it is.
The first thing to note about The Young Person’s Guide to Sex is the hairy armpit on the cover. Different times, different attitudes, folks.
Dating back to the 1960s, young people could read this handy guide to learn such important things as how to hold hands with your partner.
Apparently such activities as shining your man's shoe or combing your lady's hair were also part of the courtship ritual back then.
And then there was the nose-touching and chin-stroking.
The ...
The opening of Japan's first major public exhibition of shunga erotic prints is quite a landmark event. We finally got to go recently.
We went on a Saturday and the line to get in stretched out of the venue. They were there in their hordes: men, women, couples, foreign tourists (European, American and Asian).
Lining up, some were excited, some seemed curious -- while others appeared intellectual and austere. Inside, however, everything changed. All the faces displayed the same awe and amazement; couples exchanged looks and words ("Wow, so big"). Couples gripped each other just that little ...
