[kamome]

Japanese feminists charge that all this cute chic is really about the cultural domination and exploitation of women in the country. It encourages girls and young women well into their late 20s to act submissive, weak, and innocent rather than mature, assertive, and independent.

Yes, I completely agree with this. But I've also been wondering what else could be driving the "cute" craze, besides sex. I think it could also be related to the attempt to maintain "wa" in general society. The cuter the street signs, warning labels, commercial ads, manner posters, etc., the less offensive the message seems. Hence, the continuance of wa.

[kamome]

Even boys are getting into the cute -- or at least asexual -- look. The latest trend: Japanese boys are shaving their legs for the summer, short-pants season.

Male fashion in Japan would be considered "gay" by men in the States. I know straight Japanese guys who pluck their eyebrows and wear perfume. Uh, I'll stick with cologne and bushy eyebrows, thank you.

[Crispy]

My Japanese language partner last semester's boyfriend was a really skinny, well-shaven guy dressed entirely in skintight black leather with a perpetual sneer on his face. I can't believe I was able to keep from laughing every time I saw him.

He looked a lot like one of my favorite fighting game characters, K',


but way skinnier, shorter and paler and without the cool flames.

[Mr. BIG]

I haven't been to Japan for almost a year now, but oftentimes when I'm out on lunch in downtown Chicago I notice a lot of Japanese men wearing heavy makeup and sporting the aforementioned plucked eyebrows....and actually, all of the guys I'm referring to were walking hand in hand with their apparent girlfriends/wives/female-equivalents. Does anybody know if this is a new trend emerging, or has it been happening for a while?

[kamome]

Does anybody know if this is a new trend emerging, or has it been happening for a while?

Well, I think that androgeny in male fashion is hardly new in Japan. Many of the most popular male performers sport an androgenous look, so it appears that's what the girls are after and that's what the guys like to do to attract those chicks.

Besides the pretty boy/androgenous look among men, I've noticed that there also is a dirty/grungy look. The guys doing that are more masculine in appearance, and I guess certain chicks equate it with a bad boy look.

Then, of course, there's the pasty gaijin look, which is by far the most masculine and attractive of all. I'm sportin' that fashion on a daily basis, and it's allllllllllll good.

[Mr. BIG]

Oh, I completely agree with you.....

Then, of course, there's the pasty gaijin look, which is by far the most masculine and attractive of all. I'm sportin' that fashion on a daily basis, and it's allllllllllll good.

....and I guess we're in the same boat, fashionwise.

PASTY GAIJIN LOVE!!

[DoriKin]

What about us HUGE guys? Do the Japanese women dig us ripped gaijin?

Cuz ya know me and Mr.Big are ripped to the bone!

[kamome]

Dorik--

Nope. Japanese girls generally hate the ripped, meaty look. They tend to go for the skinny, zero fat look. What I've heard is that they feel that any guy who is that ripped is too conscious of his own looks, or basically is a narcissist. However, there are those girls who like the ripped military dudes, so you can never really tell unless you approach them. Still, there's a reason why most Japanese guys wear the skinny leather pants and maintain an androgenous look--that's what the girls are generally into.

[Mr. BIG]

Really?? Japanese girls prefer the boney look?? I guess I should give up on weightlifting.....or just buy a bunch of used army clothes and say i'm in the service....haHaHA!! Yeah right!!

[kamome]

Come to think of it, I don't see the skinny leather pants look all that much these days. But skinny men in general are well liked. I even saw a TV show that put a spotlight on "yase otoko no seikatsu", or skinny men's lifestyle. I mean, god damn, these guys were skinny as hell. And they would only eat an onigiri in the morning before work and a small dinner at 11PM at night. That was it. The point of the show was to discourage that kind of unhealthy behavior, but they did acknowledge that skinny was fashionable among men.

Unfortunately that puts most working gaijin guys at a disadvantge, since we all sit at a desk for hours and hours as our guts slowly expand over our belts. The Japanese just seem to stay skinny no matter what they eat.

[Mr. BIG]

andThere is an abundance of skinny Japanese guys....but that says a lot about the Japanese diet (as in food, not their wonderful gov't). As a foreigner in Japan, do you find yourself eating traditional Japanese foods, or do you tend to eat a lot of fast foods or western-style fried-foods??

I'm stateside now, and despite many Americans' inclinations to regularly eat fast food, I tend to eat rather healthily. I'm planning to study in Japan in about a year, and I don't know what to expect as far as food goes....I've been to Japan on two brief occasions (2 seperate 3-week periods), but I don't have any solid concept of what to expect when I'm actually living there trying to conserve $$ and eat right.

[kamome]

Be prepared to throw all that healthiness out the window. A single gaijin guy's diet in Japan consists of: convenience store bentos, ramen, Mos Burger, Pizza Hut, and the occasional kaitenzushi or curry rice.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but only a little bit. Fruits and vegetables are on average more expensive than the States. And there's something telling about a country where beer is cheaper than orange juice and fried chicken is often cheaper than a salad.

[Ketou]

[tidbits]

I think the cheapest Japanese traditional food is the 'Gyudon'in Matsuya,(cheaper than Yoshinoya) because it comes with Miso soup.

[kamome]

Some of us workin'-stiff gaijin live in a mansion, but English teachers usually live in a hole. I've done the poor English teacher thing--never again (unless I'm suddenly fired from my job and have to scrape together a living while looking for another career).

By the way, I forgot to mention that any restaurant that requires you to prepay for your food by buying a little ticket out of a vending machine is guaranteed to be a cheap meal. Downtown salaryman neighborhoods are packed with those restaurants. And yakitori can be cheap if eaten at a nondescript, under-the-railroad-tracks kind of venue. There are also cheap izakaya (Tengu, Shirokiya, Kita no Kazoku, Hochoya, etc.), which are good for after-work dinners with colleagues, although you still can wind up paying 3000 yen and up even at a Tengu.

[Mr. BIG]

Yeah, I've been to a couple of prepay ticket machine places in Japan....it sucked at the ones I went to 'cause you have to pay before you go in to look at prices....actually, now that I'm thinking about it I believe the ticket machines had labels that give prices for ramen, curry rice, etc.....hmmm.

I work out regularly here in the states, and I noticed that in Japan, there is a protein-supplement company called Weider that seems to have a terribly overpriced monopoly-operation. If anybody else is into lifting (or if you're not and you've just got some info), can you tell me if there's any reasonably priced (for Japan) protein supplements--or should I have me mum send me 'imported' shake mix in a care package?

[mercutio]

... and I noticed that in Japan, there is a protein-supplement company called Weider that seems to have a terribly overpriced monopoly-operation. If anybody else is into lifting (or if you're not and you've just got some info), can you tell me if there's any reasonably priced (for Japan) protein supplements--or should I have me mum send me 'imported' shake mix in a care package?

Weider is expensive everywhere. They have been forcefeeding the bodybuilding and fitness community a load of bullshit marketing and overpriced supplements for years.... telling people that you can "look look this in 10 weeks if you just use Weider megapaks" yeah...if a week was a month and weider magapaks included sustenon and a handful of anadrol!

I'm a little concerned about gyms and supplements when I get to Japan too, but I'll probably just order protien mix and MRPs ovder the net and have them shipped. It will probably be cheaper than buying it there especially if Weider has the market cornered.

Brad

[Crispy]

I'm perfectly happy to keep in shape without dietary suppliments, but I am wondering how I will do that. I hear the school I am going to has a gym of some kind, but supposedly pretty tiny, and I will only be able to use it during school hours. I could also join their kempo club to keep in shape, that sounds like the preferred choice.

We are sure off topic, what does this have to do with cuteness? Oh yeah, if I can lose this bit of fat on my belly and get some more muscle definition in my arms, I will be cuter.

[Mr. BIG]

[DoriKin]

Whats the gym like? Cuz i went to one of the places that you are talking about here and the "gym" was a few bikes and rubberband machines....

Were not talking pussy shit here; we are talking harcore freeweights that look like they have been thrown around like paperweights, countless racks of weights and beches galore; squat machines that look like toruture machines.....you get the point; no pussy shit!

[kamome]

I believe Gold's Gym does exist in Japan. Just do a web search and see what that yields. The most famous fitness club chain that I know of in Japan is called Tipness, but it's not quite as hard core as Gold's in the US. You can also look up the XAX chain on the internet as well.

Hey, I think Steve's wife runs a gym. PM Steve and see if he can get you some info.

[Mr. BIG]

I live slightly out of Tokyo,and I pay 4600Yen for my night membership in the sport club near my house.The regular membership is only 6500Yen.

Thanks tin, but how long is the membership good for?? Is there any year-long option available at your gym??

[Mr. BIG]

[tidbits]

Just need to pay registration fee when you first join,can't remember excatly how much but I guess is around 2000Yen, after that you just need to pay the monthly membership fee .No yearly suscription fee.

[kamome]

Gyms in Tokyo are expensive compared to those in the US, and in general what you get is a cramped locker room, fewer weight machines, and a waiting list for the treadmills. The usual monthly fee for a normal gym in Tokyo is 10,000 yen. (If you go to one of the high class, executive gyms, we're talking exorbitant numbers: US$3000 to sign up, plus huge monthly fees. But you do get nice oak hardwood flooring, a bar, and conference rooms ) If you go to a gym in Roppongi, you will be surrounded by other fucked gaijin while working out.

Outside of Tokyo, I don't know what the fees are, but it sounds cheaper. You may also get more spacious amenities as well.

[mercutio]

I'm a little concerned about gyms and supplements when I get to Japan too

where is okazaki?quote]

It is near Nagoya. No idea what it will be like trying to find a gym though

Ah well...

Hey Steve, your wife is in the fitness industry... can you shed some light on the subject of gyms in Japan?

[tokyojoe]

There are a number of commercial gyms that run about 10000 yen a month and are open early. Tipness, XAX, Nautilus...

I know Tipness sells supplements. If you`re concerned about price you might try the Foreign Buyers Club in Kobe and import it in bulk.

[Crispy]

Wasn't this thread originally about cuteness?