Yokohama Mary

[Gaisaradatsuraku!]

Hey, anyone know the whereabouts, or story of Yokohama's own Yokohama Mary?

I am surprised that Taro doesn't know. Famous in Kannai and unforgettable, Yokohama Mary scared the shit out of me.

[Pizzicatoblue]

I never heard of this story. Where can I buy it? In the u.s. of course.

[American Oyaji]

Something scared Gai?


Hmmmm. Gotta find that then.

[Taro Toporific]

Hey, anyone know the whereabouts, or story of Yokohama's own Yokohama Mary? I am surprised that Taro doesn't know. Famous in Kannai and unforgettable, Yokohama Mary scared the shit out of me.

MY TRUE LOVE and SOULMATE!



In 2001-2002 the one-women play "Yokohama Rose" that covered Mary's life was a hit here. I loved sharing some GI Eigo with Mary in early 90s. She was an original. Nobody has seen his/her face without the white paint and she ONLY offered to do oral sex for "some" reason.

"She" was put in a nursing home three or four years ago out do-inaka somewhere according to the playwright of "Yokohama Rose."

[American Oyaji]

Was she a homeless old whore or something?

Or a crazed failed geisha?

Or a combination of both?

I've never heard of her before today. I'll have to look it up.

[Taro Toporific]

[Gaisaradatsuraku!]

The absolute amazing power of the internet. I remember the first time I saw her. She was sitting outside Yurindo near Kannai station. I has just been spending the last hour or so reading a Japanese translation of "Welcome to the Monkey House" (K. Vonnegut) and I was feeling suitably strange about the world. I walk outside, stroll past the usual young couples arm in arm, the businessmen, the OLs, the cute young girls, and BAM: there she is. Looking just like that picture up above.

White face, white wedding dress. White fright from yours truly. To see a possibly insane, weak old person is disturbing.

Periodically, through the early eighties and the mid eighties I would run into her in Fukutomicho and once I even sold her a pack of something at a convenience store a friend of mine ran. I was a young punk and smoking behind the counter while manning the register and making jokes with the Yakuza acquaintances that seem drawn to me and me to them and there she is. Giving ME the EYE.

In a very hIgh pItched voice she said something and the blood rushed to my feet.

Look at her picture. I never could see her countenance without imagining what she must have looked like at 20. Even at eighty in that picture you can see that she must have been a rare beauty. Her face is now distorted like an abstract painting with age and literally with paint. Pulled and twisted and weathered - yet something quite powerful remains.

Obviously used, weak, and powerless now. A more powerful living metaphor for what is wrong with humanity I never have witnessed. I saw her maybe 5 times in my life. Once when I was still literally a child, then as a young and arrogant man, then as a salaryman (of the American type), and now (thanks to Taro) I have seen her in my present reincarnation. The periods of my life have been separated by images of Yokohama Mary. The Japanese woman drawn to America, repudiated by her own and living quite unusually.

I raise a glass to you Yokohama Mary and I hope there was some period in your life when you were living large. You fought some battle.

[GomiGirl]

OMG.. great post!!!

[Gaisaradatsuraku!]

Oh my fucking God. I just reread Taro's response again. That little old lady was a little old man????

Is this documented?

[Gaisaradatsuraku!]

[Gaisaradatsuraku!]

Here's a link

http://www.sotetsu-group.co.jp/kawaraban/104/kaihoro.htm

[American Oyaji]

She's a man?

Oh wow.

Curiouser and Curiosuer.

A riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mystery. (btw, where did that saying come from?)

BTW Gai. NICE POST there man.

[Taro Toporific]

[Taro Toporific]

She's a man?

The author of the the semi-biographical play says she's an ex-hooker of the Occupation AND 'Nam eras. As Gai says, she really had a thing for FG, the younger the better. However, others say she's a he.

"Boxman Hitosh' " (hey that's the name he answers to) who lives behind my office says the other yatai guys steered WAY clear of "her."

I sort of favor the romatic Madam Butterfly story that also is told about her and is part of the play that she was dumped several times and became "Yokohama Mary" as revenge to embarrass all (the theme that the play includes).

Which is the real story? Let's leave it to the imagination.

[cliffy]

A riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mystery. (btw, where did that saying come from?)


Sir Winston Churchill describing Stalin's wartime Russia, not only C.S. is full of WW2 trivia

[cstaylor]

C.S. is full of ...

;)

[GomiGirl]

A riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mystery. (btw, where did that saying come from?)

From the movie JFK - David Ferrie (Joe Pesci) said it to Jim Garrison (Kevie baby) when he was strung out and hiding from "them".

I watch way too many movies and remember completely useless information!!! (But you want ME on your trivial pursuit team!!)