It’s Johnny’s World, and we’re just passing through

Johnny’s, the reclusive octogenarian mastermind of generations of Japanese boy bands, clearly owns the giant billboards over Shibuya Crossing, if not the entire world. Faced with so much early teen male beauty, we can only hurry past this wall of complex and poofie helmet hair.

Anti-Christ spotted in Koenji with SanTanuki

Underneath a “Wild Layers” wig, in “bitter cinnamon blend” color, a person claiming to be the Anti-Christ was spotted in Koenji. It was Friday, Dec 21, 2012, and the world might have ended that very day according to Mayan prophecy. Instead, he shared a fish sausage with SanTanuki and a sad smile with a restaurant worker after a delicious bowl of Vietnamese soup.

Sumo wrestlers descending stairs at the train station

As much as I enjoy seeing sumo wrestlers at ringside, in all their fleshy nakedness, it’s also super exciting to come across them in daily life: at the ward office, or in the train system. They are immediately recognizable, and always impeccably dressed and groomed.

Sometimes desire is as blurry as a film mistake

This guy with his hand across his crotch looks completely relaxed in his Tokyo Metro seat. What prompted me to take this film photo?

Nice Metro outfit!

I love how coordinated but un-matching this outfit is. The eyeglass white detail matches the shoes’ soles, the shorts and sweater different patterns in same color, and the pop of color from the Mac. Nice Metro outfit!

Why is this fashionable guy wedged into the corner of this train?

Is something dirty happening with this fashionable guy wedging himself into the corner of the JR train, face and body pressed against the wall with one foot in a forward motion gesture? Actually he seemed to be on the telephone, a violation of standard courtesy rules on Japanese public transit. I love how he’s positioned himself into a false sense of privacy.

Are no pants days really over for this year?

My interest in Shinto practice continues to deepen. I love a religion that brings the rice harvest to the city, and instructs men to go pants-less in public. Certainly there are many particularities I am still unfamiliar with.  The repetitive flute and metal percussion music puts me in a trance, and opens me to the possibility that these gods inhabit my neighborhood and are responsible for my daily meals. But ideas and concepts would be nothing without the flagrant masochism and exhibitionism central to the rituals.

It’s like the Catholic Easter passion, but better because of its multiplicity. There is more than one suffering man, and more than one god. If this is pagan, I am unable to resist. I will ask the gods this year to decontaminate the rice harvest.

I <3 Tokyo

Could this outfit get any better? Maybe a chain to match his huge ring? To top it off, the woman next to him has an expression that is priceless. Perhaps my best metro photo ever?

Efficient train clean-up of puke

One of the only dangers of urban life in Tokyo is being in a crowded train and being barfed on or about. Last week we were riding the rails, and just entered this car when we saw two uniformed rail workers spread out some sawdust and quickly sweep up the puke. Wow! It probably took less than 2 minutes.

Would this happen where you live? In the US, I can’t believe they would take care of it before the train reaches its final stop. With our reduced expectations, we would not be terribly surprised if the puke stayed until the end of the night shift or beyond.

I am frequently disgusted by how alcohol abuse is tolerated, encouraged, and denied. As someone concerned about being puked on or near, I was delighted to see this rapid remediation.

The Party is Over, or is it just starting?

I love how Japan is always pioneering feminine entertainment. The Party is Over is a new TV series about five fantasy dates with intensively groomed men.

For the past week, Tokyo’s JR stations have been blanketed with advertisements for this new series available only on the mobile phone channel Bee TV. They are bringing the ikemen of television onto the pocket screen.

Surely one of my readers is watching this feminine entertainment? The first date is with Narimiya Hiroki 成宮 寛貴, the last with my favorite canned coffee idol Koide Keisuke 小出 恵介. The husband likes best Takaoka Sousuke 高岡蒼甫 (his birthday is tomorrow!), he’s date #3 or top right in the photo below.

Here’s the online version of the billboard at the top of the post. It’s brilliant that the image is arranged to focus your attention only on the men. Doesn’t it help you feel like these are *your* dates?