AV

Since it was recently valentine's day, I'd like to talk about porn.  Besides, it has been way too long since I've expressed my love and hatred of Japanese porn (AV).  This is also the first question I get asked when I talk about living in Japan; "why is their porn so weird?"  To be completely honest, Japanese porn is a freaking mystery that I will likely never understand since it simultaneously has so much yet so little to offer.  Anyone whose stumbled upon this particular genre knows what I'm talking about.  I'm going to try and generalize as best I can but obviously since there is so much porn out there, not all Japanese AV will fit in to my description.

What everyone seems to notice first in Japan is the multitude of porn readily available.  Everything from animals with tentacles, bondage, to ripped panty hose is all too commonplace.  Basically, fetish porn is regular porn.  Despite all this ridiculous stuff, you can't actually SEE any of it.  Its all blurred out.  Japan used to outlaw even showing pubic hair (and the yakuza do produce uncensored stuff, but its harder to find).

I still remember my first trip to Tokyo when my bros killed some time by browsing a video shop...for research.  The first floor had everything you'd expect from a porn shop but as we ascended the floors the videos got more and more disgusting.  I mean 'dry heaving and needing a therapist' disgusting.  Needless to say, I didn't make it to the top floor, I stopped at the bleeding and animal level and decided to call it a day. 

That all sounded bad.  Don't get me wrong, its porn so it can't be all that bad.  Its the age of the internet, so you can find other freaky, non-blurred porn with a few mouse clicks.  And how can America be so quick to decide what is 'normal' porn?  When I first got to Japan, all of it seemed new to me, and new was good!  Lawson and 7-11 sell it right next to the cup noodles, so its hard to ignore.  The girls tend to be INCREDIBLY cute.  Sometimes too cute. Like, so cute and innocent that they have no confidence and you feel a little guilty watching them be taken advantage of...also, they cry.

Okay, whats wrong with you Japan!  While I'd like to celebrate an abundance of porn, this seriously can't be good for the general public.  The real problem is Japanese people don't get taught sex ed in school, and they most certainly don't talk about sex with their family, so where are they learning this stuff?  A nation of teenagers learning about sex from fetish porn can't possibly be doing any good.  Especially while rape is a genre of porn...but it seems like that's a problem that Japan has yet to figure out. 

Red Light Post

Just in case you all thought I was joking about this stuff, I absolutely was not. In this rough economy, even the sex industry is slashing its prices but I’m honestly surprised this is not more popular. You would think that if places in America offered a legal 'full release' massage there would be a line out the door 3 miles long. I think it is a conspiracy by the strip clubs to keep these kinds of places outlawed in America. Whose going to go spend 100 bucks at a SC when they can actually get results for 30 bucks?

The safety of the red light district in Tokyo actually makes the list for reasons why Tokyo is awesome. Though the girls that work at these sort of places aren't the best Tokyo has to offer (and they usually aren't even Japanese) and many are well into their 30's, it is still amazing to be able to walk the streets and listen to these women give you their 'sales pitch' without worrying about getting mugged and/or shanked. They even serve you tea while you're waiting for your massage!....so I've been told. There is something to be learned here; when you make something legal, the government can then regulate it and make it safe. But in Japan, everywhere is safe anyway, so it’s DOUBLE SAFE.

Tokyo around 3am - safest place on earth

So if you just so happen to be walking the red light district in Tokyo and hear the words Kimochi ii (気持ちいい) and massa-ji (マッサージ), then you are likely in the right place.

ラブホテル、what a concept...

Greetings,
This past weekend, I stumbled upon another Japanese cultural/entertainment' adventure. Again, if you are looking for the kind of Japanese culture you see on television, I'm sorry. Walking around Namba, Shinsaibashi, and Umeda you can not help but notice the surplus of love hotels, ラブホテル. What an interesting concept - classy (no sarcasm, but don't quote me if you happen to visit one in Hirakatashi) hotels that you can pay for by the hour, located in high populated areas. Japan is truly the country of convenience.

These hotels are extremely popular in Japan; some filled to capacity by 10:15pm (true story) in the middle of the week. I don't necessarily view this as a sexual obsession in Japan, but rather an adaptation to the fact that many young adults live at home, and many Japanese homes are located outside of major cities. Even if the homes/apartments are located inside the city, they may not be big enough for two people to stay in comfortably. The sex industry in Japan likely also contributes to the high number of love hotels, but convenience is probably the driving force.

I am not saying that all Japanese are comfortable with the idea of going to a love hotel. Some Japanese, even young adults, still find the idea a little odd. Maybe I have become used to the idea, but I now compare love hotels to beer and cigarette vending machines. They are not sleazy in themselves, but I can understand those that are uncomfortable with the idea.

Here are some interesting links if you are interested/intrigued

http://www.hotel-fine.co.jp/ - This hotel is complete with point cards, prizes, 100+ inch projection television, etc.

http://www.love-hotels.jp/osaka/directory.html - just to give you an idea of the number of hotels in the Osaka area.

Take Care